Pakistan, Saudi Arabia reaffirm support for regional peace after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman agreed to strengthen coordination following recent Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. Both leaders stressed the importance of protecting maritime security and ensuring the uninterrupted flow of lawful international trade.

During a telephone conversation, Prime Minister Shehbaz strongly condemned the Houthi attacks, calling them unacceptable and a clear violation of international law. He said the strikes threatened freedom of navigation and increased risks to regional peace and stability. The prime minister also reaffirmed Pakistan’s full solidarity with Saudi Arabia during the ongoing security situation.

Shehbaz assured the Saudi crown prince that Pakistan, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and the Pakistani nation stood firmly beside the Saudi leadership and its people. Both sides agreed to maintain close coordination to safeguard peace and secure maritime commerce across the Red Sea, the Strait of Hormuz, and surrounding waters.

The discussions followed claims by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement that it had launched missile and drone attacks on the Saudi oil tankers Encelia and Layla in the Red Sea. Saudi authorities confirmed that Encelia was struck but did not release details regarding the second vessel. The attacks have intensified concerns over maritime security and the stability of global energy supplies.

Earlier, Pakistan’s Foreign Office also condemned Houthi threats against Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping. It said attacks on lawful maritime trade violated international law, undermined freedom of navigation, and challenged the rules-based maritime order. The latest developments come as regional tensions continue to rise following Houthi threats to blockade Saudi ports and recent missile launches toward the kingdom.