Pakistan backs Saudi Arabia at UNSC, urges dialogue to avert wider Yemen conflict

• Islamabad strongly condemns Houthi ballistic missile attacks, reaffirms unwavering support for Saudi security and sovereignty

• Ambassador Usman Jadoon calls for restraint, diplomacy and de-escalation amid the biggest Yemen flare-up in years

• Reiterates commitment to Yemen's sovereignty and backs an inclusive UN-facilitated political process

• Warns renewed fighting could deepen humanitarian suffering and undermine prospects for lasting peace

NEW YORK: Pakistan on Monday threw its full weight behind Saudi Arabia at an emergency United Nations Security Council (UNSC) briefing on Yemen, strongly condemning ballistic missile attacks targeting the kingdom, reaffirming unwavering support for its security and territorial integrity, and urging all parties to pursue dialogue and diplomacy to prevent a further escalation of the conflict.

The emergency UNSC briefing was convened following a sharp escalation in Yemen after the Yemeni government targeted an international airport in Sanaa on Monday, while Saudi Arabia later announced that it had intercepted ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis towards the kingdom's southern region.

Yemen has remained mired in conflict since the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention in support of the internationally recognised government the following year.

According to the Yemeni government, the airport operation was aimed at preventing an Iranian aircraft from landing in Sanaa after a Houthi delegation, which had travelled to Tehran to attend the funeral of assassinated Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declined to return aboard a Yemenia Airways flight despite government efforts.

Hours after the airport attack, Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis towards the country's south.

The latest flare-up marked the most serious confrontation between the Yemeni government and the Houthis in years, with the rebel group accusing Saudi Arabia of jeopardising the UN-brokered truce that has largely held since 2022.

Addressing the Security Council, Pakistan's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, strongly condemned the ballistic missile attacks against Saudi Arabia and reiterated Islamabad's unwavering solidarity with the kingdom.

"We express our full solidarity with the brotherly kingdom and reaffirm our steadfast support for its security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity," Ambassador Jadoon said.

Statement by Ambassador Usman Jadoon,
Deputy Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN,
At the UN Security Council Emergency Briefing on the Situation in Middle East (Yemen)
(13 July 2026)
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We thank ASG Khaled Khiari and acting ASG Indrika Ratwatte for their… pic.twitter.com/AzYbr4Vr01

— Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanUN_NY) July 14, 2026

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have maintained close defence and security ties for decades, with bilateral cooperation remaining a cornerstone of Islamabad's regional diplomacy.

In September 2025, the two countries signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement in Riyadh, pledging that any attack on either nation would be regarded as an act of aggression against both.

Reaffirming Pakistan's longstanding policy, Ambassador Jadoon said Islamabad remained committed to dialogue and the peaceful resolution of regional disputes, stressing that prolonged conflicts only intensified humanitarian suffering and undermined regional stability.

Pakistan's statement at the Security Council centred on three key priorities: reaffirming support for Saudi Arabia's security, upholding Yemen's sovereignty, and advancing an inclusive political process to bring the conflict to an end.

"We also reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Yemen, consistent with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law," Ambassador Jadoon said.

Calling for restraint, Pakistan urged all parties concerned to avoid further escalation and seek diplomatic solutions.

"At a time when the region continues to face heightened tensions and multiple interconnected crises, we call on the parties concerned to resolve differences through dialogue, diplomacy and a steadfast commitment to de-escalation," he said.

Islamabad maintained that a durable peace in Yemen could only emerge through a Yemeni-led and Yemeni-owned political process facilitated by the United Nations.

"A comprehensive, inclusive and sustainable peace can only be achieved through a Yemeni-led and Yemeni-owned political process, facilitated by the UN, which addresses the legitimate aspirations and concerns of all Yemenis," Ambassador Jadoon stressed.

He also referred to the prisoner exchange agreement reached earlier this year as evidence that dialogue could deliver tangible progress even under difficult circumstances, urging all sides to work towards a durable nationwide ceasefire and an inclusive political settlement.

The agreement, reached in May between the Yemeni government and the Houthis, provided for the exchange of more than 1,600 prisoners.

Highlighting the humanitarian cost of the prolonged conflict, Pakistan warned that years of fighting had inflicted immense suffering on Yemen's civilian population.

"The Yemeni people have endured years of conflict, displacement, economic hardship, food insecurity and the collapse of essential services. Any further escalation risks undermining prospects for peace and deepening the suffering of civilians," Ambassador Jadoon said.

Pakistan also strongly condemned the continued detention of UN personnel, humanitarian workers and diplomatic staff by the Houthis, as well as the unlawful seizure of UN premises and assets.

"Pakistan reiterates its strong condemnation of the continued arbitrary detention of UN, humanitarian personnel and diplomatic staff, as well as the unlawful seizure of UN premises and assets by Houthis," Ambassador Jadoon said.

Islamabad called for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained personnel and urged full respect for the privileges and immunities of United Nations personnel and facilities.

Concluding Pakistan's statement, Ambassador Jadoon reaffirmed Islamabad's commitment to dialogue, diplomacy and regional de-escalation, urging all parties to maintain open channels of communication and refrain from actions that could further inflame tensions.