Pakistan faces fresh test in Yemen conflict after 2015 withdrawal

Pakistan's potential re-engagement in Yemen's conflict marks a significant shift after the country withdrew from Saudi-led military operations in 2015. Recent escalations involving Houthi drone and missile strikes have activated defense pacts that could obligate Pakistan and Turkey to provide military support to Riyadh.

The activation of the Mecca Accord, a security framework among regional powers, signals mounting pressure on Pakistan to commit resources to counter the Iranian-backed Houthi movement. The militant group has demonstrated increasingly sophisticated capabilities in targeting critical Saudi infrastructure, prompting calls for broader international military involvement.

However, security analysts caution against optimism regarding a swift military resolution. The challenging mountainous terrain of Yemen, combined with the Houthis' established ground presence and local support networks, presents formidable obstacles to any conventional military campaign. Previous military interventions in the region have struggled against similarly positioned non-state actors.

Experts suggest that the lessons from Yemen's eight-year conflict underscore the limitations of force-based strategies. The Houthis' resilience despite years of Saudi-led airstrikes indicates that achieving complete military victory would require sustained commitment and resources beyond what conventional operations have achieved to date.

Pakistan's decision to participate in renewed operations would represent a reversal of its 2015 stance, when Parliament had restricted the military's role to defensive measures rather than offensive operations in Yemen's civil war.