Asim Munir’s Yemen Dilemma: Why Pakistan Risks Getting Trapped in Saudi Arabia’s Conflict
Pakistan faces mounting pressure to support Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks. However, a deeper military involvement could expose Asim Munir to economic, political and security risks similar to Egypt’s disastrous intervention in Yemen.
Pakistan’s growing military commitment to Saudi Arabia has raised concerns about a prolonged conflict with Yemen’s Houthi rebels. For Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, the situation echoes Egypt’s costly intervention in Yemen during the 1960s.
Saudi Arabia has faced repeated missile and drone attacks from the Houthis, who have also disrupted oil supplies and threatened shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Riyadh’s security crisis has increased pressure on Islamabad to honour its defence commitments.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement in September 2025. Pakistan also joined Turkiye in the Makkah Defence Agreement in August 2026. Both arrangements have intensified questions about Pakistan’s potential military role.
Reports have suggested that Pakistani troops and aircraft could support Saudi operations. However, Islamabad has rejected reports of specific deployments as fabricated or speculative. The number of additional troops sent to Saudi Arabia remains unclear.
Munir must also contend with Pakistan’s internal challenges, including insurgencies in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, political unrest and economic dependence on international financial assistance. A deeper involvement in Yemen could strain military resources and damage relations with Iran, which supports the Houthis.
Egypt’s experience offers a cautionary lesson. Under Gamal Abdel Nasser, Cairo deployed tens of thousands of troops to Yemen, suffering heavy casualties and significant financial losses. The intervention weakened Egypt’s military and economy.
For Munir, the challenge is to support Saudi Arabia without allowing a regional security commitment to become a prolonged and costly conflict.
