ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Thursday reaffirmed their commitment to regional peace and maritime security after Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea.
The commitment came during a telephone conversation between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, during which the two leaders agreed to continue working closely to ensure regional stability and the uninterrupted flow of lawful maritime commerce.
Prime Minister Shehbaz strongly condemned the Houthi attacks, describing them as unacceptable and saying they violated international law, threatened freedom of navigation and undermined regional peace and security.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s complete solidarity with Saudi Arabia, saying he, along with Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir and the Pakistani nation, stood firmly with the Saudi leadership and people during the current security situation.
Held a telephone conversation with my dear brother, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, this morning.
I condemned, in the strongest possible terms, the Houthi militia’s attacks…
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) July 23, 2026
According to an official statement, both leaders agreed to maintain close coordination to safeguard peace, security and the uninterrupted flow of lawful maritime commerce through the Red Sea, the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region.
The phone call came after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group claimed responsibility for missile and drone attacks on two Saudi oil tankers Encelia and Layla in the Red Sea, while announcing a naval blockade targeting Saudi ports along the strategic waterway.
Read More: Pakistan warns Iran: Houthi attacks on ‘Saudi Arabia’ would be attacks on Pakistan
Saudi Arabia confirmed that the Encelia had been struck but did not comment on the reported attack involving the second tanker.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the master of a commercial tanker reported being hit by an unidentified projectile about 70 nautical miles southwest of Al Shuqaiq, causing a fire that the crew was working to extinguish.
The Houthi threat to blockade Saudi ports has intensified concerns over security in one of the world’s busiest energy corridors and raised fears of wider regional escalation linked to ongoing US-Iran tensions. Any disruption could affect global energy supplies and Saudi Arabia’s ability to bypass the Strait of Hormuz for some of its oil exports.
A day earlier, Pakistan’s Foreign Office strongly condemned the Houthis’ continued threats against Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, saying such actions undermine freedom of navigation, challenge the rules-based maritime order and jeopardise the uninterrupted flow of global trade.
The Foreign Office described the threats against commercial shipping and Saudi Arabia as unacceptable and in violation of international law, while expressing concern over reports targeting vessels engaged in lawful commercial trade with the Kingdom.
The latest developments come days after Saudi Arabia intercepted ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis towards the Kingdom’s southern region, underscoring growing security challenges across the Red Sea and the wider Middle East.
