Pakistan Stepped Back from Yemen War in 2015: Can It Now Help Saudi Arabia Defeat Houthis?

Islamabad: The recent defence agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan has sparked a new discussion regarding the ongoing conflict in Yemen. The growing military partnership between the two countries comes at a time when attacks by Houthi rebels continue to pose a challenge to regional security. However, the big question is whether the combined military power of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will be able to effectively stop the activities of the Houthis?

Why did Pakistan distance itself from the Yemen war in 2015?

In 2015, Saudi Arabia had requested Pakistan to send fighter aircraft, naval ships and soldiers during the military campaign against the Houthis in Yemen. This issue was discussed in the Parliament of Pakistan for several days and finally on 10 April it was unanimously decided that Pakistan would not directly take part in the Yemen war.

However, at that time Pakistan had also made it clear that if there is a threat to the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia or the holy sites like Mecca-Medina, then it will stand with Saudi Arabia.

What has changed between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan now?

After about 11 years, significant changes are being seen in the relations between the two countries. In August, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement. Under the agreement, an attack on any one country will be considered an attack on all three countries.

Amidst the continuous attacks by Houthis, this agreement is being considered an important step towards strengthening military cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Both countries can now use their military strength and security capabilities for regional security.

How strong is the military power of Saudi, Pakistan and Turkey

The three countries have different types of military capabilities. Saudi Arabia has modern fighter aircraft, missile systems and large defense capability. Pakistan has war experience, fighter aircraft and missile technology. Turkey has developed its capability in the field of drones, missiles, electronic warfare and modern military technology.

In such a situation, if there is better coordination between the three countries, cooperation in air defense, surveillance and military operations can increase.

Will it be easy to defeat the Houthis with military force alone?

The circumstances of Yemen make this question quite complex. The Houthis take advantage of northern Yemen's mountainous terrain, tunnels and caves. They also have mobile missile launchers and dispersed command systems.

It is not easy for a big army to conduct military operations for a long time in such an area. This is why despite modern weapons and huge military power, it has proved challenging to completely eliminate the Houthis.

Why was Saudi Arabia not successful against the Houthis even before?

The Saudi-led coalition has been waging a military campaign against the Houthis in Yemen since 2015. Despite this, the Houthi organisation was not completely destroyed. In later years the US and Britain also targeted Houthi positions, but the organisation's missile and drone capabilities remained intact.

It is clear from this that it is not easy to completely eliminate the challenge of Houthis just by air strikes or use of modern weapons.

Can Pakistan and Turkey help Saudi Arabia?

According to analysts, Pakistan and Türkiye can strengthen air defense, intelligence and surveillance capabilities with Saudi Arabia. Pakistan has combat experience, while Turkey has technological capabilities related to drones and electronic warfare.
However, ground operations in the mountainous areas of Yemen will still be a major challenge. Therefore, the combined strength of the three countries can increase pressure on the Houthis, but completely eliminating them still cannot be considered an easy goal.