(../../../../favicon_aje.ico) Houthi attack on Mecca, Medina would cross ‘red line’, Pakistan PM tells UN | Politics News | Al Jazeera    (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/25/houthi-attack-on-mecca-medina-would-cross-red-line-pakistan-pm-tells-un)                                                (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/9/25/houthi-attack-on-mecca-medina-would-cross-red-line-pakistan-pm-tells-un)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/afp_6ab6d2e0682b-1790366432.jpg?resize=1920%2C1440)  (../../../../wp-content/uploads/2026/09/afp_6ab6d2e0682b-1790366432.jpg@resize=770,513&quality=80)     (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org/scripttemplates/otSDKStub.js) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (../../../../static/css/vendor~main~d08ff9cb.24bf1742.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~748942c6.6c6e15fe.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~b07b7304.e3bc53a0.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~6e6dca10.74fd263a.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~5db14389.a7dc5dd5.r2.chunk.css) (https://www.aljazeera.com/static/media/Roboto-Bold.52bb58c8.woff2) (https://www.aljazeera.com/static/media/Roboto-Regular.c5bf51b6.woff2)  (../../../../static/css/vendor~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-blo~5f903362.2e08e417.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-~41c72a2c.3f309873.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-~06be7c11.0625e98d.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/common~493df0b3.ec3ab9b5.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/pages/article-page~493df0b3.accd71c7.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/common~493df0b3.ec3ab9b5.r2.chunk.css)   Skip links (houthi-attack-on-mecca-medina-would-cross-red-line-pakistan-pm-tells-un@traffic_source=rss.html#main-content-area) Skip to Content  (https://www.aljazeera.com/)          (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Sign up  Show navigation menu     Navigation menu (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News    Show more news sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/africa/) Africa   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia/) Asia   (https://www.aljazeera.com/us-canada/) US & Canada   (https://www.aljazeera.com/latin-america/) Latin America   (https://www.aljazeera.com/europe/) Europe   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia-pacific/) Asia Pacific      (https://www.aljazeera.com/middle-east/) Middle East   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/explainer/) Explained   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sports) Sport   (https://www.aljazeera.com/opinion/) Opinion   (https://www.aljazeera.com/videos/) Video   More   Show more sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/aljazeera-originals) Originals   (https://www.aljazeera.com/features/) Features   (https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/) Economy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/human-rights/) Human Rights   (https://www.aljazeera.com/climate-crisis) Climate Crisis   (https://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/) Investigations   (https://www.aljazeera.com/interactives/) Interactives   (https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/) In Pictures   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/science-and-technology/) Science & Technology   (https://www.aljazeera.com/audio/podcasts) Podcasts   (https://www.aljazeera.com/travel) Travel   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored/) Sponsored Content        (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Click here to search search     Sign up        Navigation menu caret-left    (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/israel-iran-conflict/) US-Israel war on Iran    (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/9/strait-of-hormuz-what-has-happened-since-the-us-iran-mou-on-june-17) Strait of Hormuz   (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/9/has-iran-captured-an-unmanned-us-submarine-what-we-know) Did Iran capture a US submarine?   (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/8/why-have-us-iran-strikes-resumed-and-what-does-it-mean-for-peace-talks) Why have  strikes resumed?   (https://www.aljazeera.com/aljazeera-originals) Al Jazeera Originals   (https://www.aljazeera.com/news) News     caret-right         (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News |(https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/politics/) Politics   Houthi attack on Mecca, Medina would cross ‘red line’, Pakistan PM tells UN Shehbaz Sharif speaks as Islamabad, Riyadh and Ankara army chiefs meet to discuss Mecca pact, closer military ties.   Listen   Listen (4 mins)       Save       Share Houthi attack on Mecca, Medina would cross ‘red line’, Pakistan PM tells UN on social media share-nodes    Share (https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2F2to8nl) facebook      (https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Houthi%20attack%20on%20Mecca%2C%20Medina%20would%20cross%20%E2%80%98red%20line%E2%80%99%2C%20Pakistan%20PM%20tells%20UN&source=sharethiscom&related=sharethis&via=AJEnglish&url=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2F2to8nl) x    (whatsapp://send?text=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2F2to8nl) whatsapp-stroke    (https://aje.news/2to8nl)  copylink          google       Add Al Jazeera on Google  info      (Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif speaks during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly)   Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speaks during the United Nations General Assembly on Friday [Ryan Murphy/Getty Images/AFP]   (https://www.aljazeera.com/author/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458)     By  (https://www.aljazeera.com/author/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458) Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters   Published On 25 Sep 2026 25 Sep 2026    Pakistan’s prime minister has condemned (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/25/saudi-arabia-allies-line-up-support-as-houthi-attacks-mount) Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, warning that any “threat to the sanctity” of the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina is a “red line that must never be crossed”. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Shehbaz Sharif denounced recent Houthi attacks as “deplorable”. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/9/25/pakistan-pm-calls-houthi-threats-to-saudi-holy-sites-a-red) Pakistan PM calls Houthi threats to Saudi holy sites a ‘red line’  list 2 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/9/25/oil-prices-jump-after-yemens-houthis-claim-attacks-on-saudi-facilities) Oil prices jump after Yemen’s Houthis claim attacks on Saudi facilities  list 3 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news-analysis/2026/9/25/netanyahus-un-belligerence-wins-cheers-at-home-as-world-walks-out) Netanyahu’s UN belligerence wins cheers at home as world walks out   end of list  He added that an attack by the Iran-aligned Yemeni group, which Riyadh says targeted Mecca, “outraged Muslims across the globe”. The Houthis have dismissed the accusations as a (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/17/five-killed-as-saudi-arabia-and-yemens-houthis-trade-attacks) “heinous lie” . Last month, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed a (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/8/saudi-pakistan-turkiye-pact-a-new-shield-or-strategic-signal) trilateral defence pact , formally known as the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement. The pact states that an attack on any member will be treated as an attack on all. However, Islamabad and Ankara have refrained from getting involved in Riyadh’s ongoing fight with the Houthis. The ⁠military ⁠chiefs of all three countries met in Riyadh on Friday and ⁠discussed enhancing intelligence sharing and military ⁠coordination, ‌the Pakistani military said. The chiefs reviewed the security situation and ⁠threats facing Saudi Arabia, ⁠affirmed a commitment to collective defence and ⁠pledged to turn ⁠Mecca Agreement commitments into effective cooperation, the ‌army added. It is not clear what, if any, support Ankara and Islamabad may provide to Riyadh. In a written interview published by the US media outlet Newsweek on Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said support could include “intelligence, logistics or ammunition, with more extensive military assistance possible depending on the scale of the threat”.      Iran and Palestine In Sharif’s UN address, he also referenced the US-Israeli war that was launched against Iran in late February, as well as Islamabad’s role as a co-mediator. Advertisement    Pakistan’s efforts culminated in the (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/16/us-iran-mou-is-set-to-expire-what-to-know) Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding , signed by Washington and Tehran, which was intended to help end the conflict. The accord has since unravelled while regional countries push for a conclusive end to the war, which has caused a global energy crisis and exacerbated tensions across the Middle East. “Yet amid the roar of missiles, drones and guns, the voice for diplomacy must echo even louder and stronger,” Sharif said. He added that the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively blockaded, and the Bab al-Mandeb waterway, which is now largely under Houthi control, are “arteries of the global economy” that should remain free and safe. The Pakistani prime minister also denounced what he described as Israel’s “genocidal agenda” in Palestine, while condemning “Israeli aggression against Lebanon and Syria”. These were sentiments echoed earlier in the day by Lebanese Prime Minister (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/25/israeli-shelling-continues-as-lebanons-pm-demands-withdrawal-in-un-speech) Nawaf Salam in his UN General Assembly address.      India, Kashmir, Afghanistan Closer to home, Sharif’s speech touched on tensions with Pakistan’s neighbours. Criticising India, he accused New Delhi of weaponising the Indus waters, which both countries have jointly managed for more than six decades. The two neighbours heavily rely on the Himalayan river network. Sharif warned that “any attempt to stop, impede or divert Pakistan’s share of the waters will be treated as an act of war”. He also called for what he described as a “just and fair solution” to the Kashmir dispute, which both Pakistan and India claim in its entirety. Sharif alleged that there have been attempts to “alter the legal status” of Kashmir through demographic engineering. Another pressing issue for Islamabad is the threat posed by the Tehrik-e-Taliban (TTP), or Pakistani Taliban. Sharif said groups operate from “sanctuaries inside Afghanistan, with the aim of destabilising Pakistan”, insisting that attacks launched from Afghanistan “must come to a grinding halt”. This comes as the latest cross-border fighting left several Afghan Taliban fighters (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/25/pakistani-forces-kill-afghan-taliban-fighters-in-border-escalation) dead on Friday.            aj-logo             aj-logo             aj-logo       Advertisement          About About   Show more  (https://www.aljazeera.com/about-us) About Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/code-of-ethics/) Code of Ethics   (https://www.aljazeera.com/terms-and-conditions/) Terms and Conditions   (https://www.aljazeera.com/eu-eea-regulatory/) EU/EEA Regulatory Notice   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/) Privacy Policy   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/cookie/) Cookie Policy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Cookie Preferences    (https://trust.aljazeera.net/accessibility/) Accessibility Statement   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sitemap) Sitemap   (https://careers.aljazeera.net/) Work for us      Connect Connect   Show more  (https://network.aljazeera.net/en/contact?tid=6) Contact Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/user-accounts-help) User Accounts Help   (https://commercial.aljazeera.net/) Advertise with us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/stay-connected) Stay Connected   (https://www.aljazeera.com/newsletters) Newsletters   (https://sat.aljazeera.net/en) Channel Finder   (https://www.aljazeera.com/schedule/) TV Schedule   (https://www.aljazeera.com/podcasts/) Podcasts   (https://webapps.aljazeera.net/aje/tips/) Submit a Tip   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored) Paid Partner Content      Our Channels Our Channels   Show more  (http://aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Arabic   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Al Jazeera English   (https://www.ajiunit.com/) Al Jazeera Investigative Unit   (https://www.aljazeeramubasher.net/) Al Jazeera Mubasher   (http://doc.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Documentary   (http://balkans.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Balkans   (http://ajplus.net/) AJ+      Our Network Our Network   Show more  (http://studies.aljazeera.net/en/) Al Jazeera Centre for Studies   (http://training.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Media Institute   (http://learning.aljazeera.net/) Learn Arabic   (http://liberties.aljazeera.com/en) Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights   (http://forum.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Forum   (https://hotels.aljazeera.net/en) Al Jazeera Hotel Partners        Follow Al Jazeera English: (https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera) facebook       (https://twitter.com/ajenglish) twitter     (https://www.youtube.com/aljazeeraenglish) youtube     (https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/?hl=en) instagram-colored-outline                          (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml) rss     (https://bsky.app/profile/aljazeera.com) bluesky     (https://www.tiktok.com/@aljazeeraenglish) tiktok-colored-outline                  (Al Jazeera Media Network logo)   © 2026 Al Jazeera Media Network