The Ministry of Information dismissed on Thursday a news report claiming that Pakistan Air Force (PAF) aircraft were being used against the Houthis as “fake and fabricated”. The New York Times report, a screenshot of which the ministry shared in an X post, cited an unnamed source as saying that PAF fighter jets were being employed against the Yemen-based group, amid the latter’s escalating conflict with Saudi Arabia. But the information ministry denied the report, saying in its statement posted on X that the NYT story “attributing the employment of PAF aircraft against Houthis is fake and fabricated”. “International media houses are again asked to avoid speculative reporting with regards to employment of Pakistan’s military forces under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement. “Details of any deployment, if necessary, will be given by the authorities concerned,” it added. Earlier, the ministry also termed a Reuters report claiming the deployment of 30,000 to 40,000 Pakistani troops in Saudi Arabia as “speculative”. There reports have emerged after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye agreed to the deployment of military forces and capabilities rapidly in the kingdom during an emergency meeting of the Makkah Defence Alliance in Riyadh on Monday. The defence pact, signed on Aug 7, aims to strengthen collective deterrence and empower its signatory states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them. Monday’s meeting under the alliance was held to address the security developments and threats facing Saudi Arabia. A statement issued by the Foreign Office after the meeting said the member states had “decided to move immediately to the practical implementation of the collective defence commitments and to take the necessary measures to provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in the kingdom, in accordance with the approved arrangements and the national legislation of the parties, thereby enhancing readiness, military integration, and the collective capacity to confront and counter threats”. Separately, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who was part of Pakistan’s delegation in the meeting, joined Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’ via telephone the same day and said Saudi Arabia had made “gains and recovered some areas” in Yemen in the ongoing fighting with the Houthis. When asked about a possible operational role by Pakistan and Turkiye, the defence minister replied that both nations had a “presence in theatre”, but only Saudi troops were involved in combat operations. On Wednesday, Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry also said Pakistani troops are in Saudi Arabia, adding that they had been in the kingdom “for decades” and across multiple domains. The military spokesperson made these remarks during an interview with CNN correspondent Ivan Watson, who posted a small clip on his X account. “I can confirm that the forces of Pakistan are already there (Saudi Arabia),” Lt Gen Chaudhry said. Watson then sought a confirmation that Pakistani troops were already on the ground in Saudi Arabia as part of the Makkah Defence Alliance between Pakistan, the kingdom and Turkiye. To that, the military spokesperson replied, “Pakistan troops have been there for decades […] The Makkah alliance is not something that has come out in a vacuum. So there is a sustained diplomatic, political, military and people-to-people relationship between Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia. So, I can share with you that Pakistani forces, in multiple capabilities and domains, are already there.” The developments come against the backdrop of Houthis declaring a maritime blockade on the kingdom and targeting its ships in the Red Sea. Both sides have claimed strikes on each other as tensions remain high. Earlier today, the Houthis claimed that they had struck the Saudi capital’s main international airport with a ballistic missile, in another attack on the kingdom claimed by the group. A day ago, Saudi authorities said three people were killed and 36 injured in attacks on two of the kingdom’s international airports including in the capital Riyadh, after Yemen’s Houthis claimed to have fired on both transport hubs. For its part, a Saudi-led coalition that backs pro-government forces in Yemen said on X that it “destroyed the ballistic missile launch platform” used in the attack on Riyadh. The Houthis, who control most of the country’s northwest, are battling for territory against the Saudi-backed forces after the civil war reignited in July and they captured swathes of coastal land. Yemen’s internationally recognised government this week declared a major counter-offensive and said Houthi fighters were pushed out of strategic areas on the Red Sea and the port city of Mocha. But the Houthis say they are holding their territory, and military sources from both sides contacted by AFP have not reported any major changes on the ground. Claims by the warring parties have been impossible to independently verify with the situation moving fast and access for journalists difficult. Meanwhile, Pakistan has expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia. On Sept 18, Lt Gen Chaudhry said Pakistan would go to “any extent” to defend the Gulf state, adding that Islamabad’s commitment to the kingdom’s security is “unconditional”. Asif has also reaffirmed that Pakistan will “practically and diplomatically” stand by Saudi Arabia against Yemen’s Houthi rebels if the situation escalates. The defence minister said that Pakistan would fulfil all its obligations under the Makkah Defence Alliance in accordance with the terms of the agreement between the three countries. At the same time, Pakistan has also asserted that the alliance is intended for collective deterrence and defensive in nature.