As Saudi Arabia steps up war against Yemen’s Houthis, Pakistan set to play support role

Pakistani troops are expected to take over various defensive functions for

Saudi Arabia to enable the Middle East country to fight an all-out war aimed at defeating

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

According to defence analysts, Pakistani troops are not expected to participate directly in ground offensives against the

Houthis being planned by Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s squabbling government factions.

Instead, their primary objective would be to free up Saudi forces to focus on what is likely to be a sustained conflict involving hundreds of thousands of Yemeni fighters on both sides.

“Saudi Arabia needs

Pakistan to help defend Saudi Arabia so that Saudi forces have greater freedom to operate against the Houthis,” said Andreas Krieg, an associate professor of defence studies at King’s College London.