Pakistan to Defend Saudi Arabia? Chinese-Made Weapons May See First Combat

Pakistan has pledged to defend Saudi Arabia after deadly Houthi attacks on Riyadh, raising the possibility that Chinese-made weapons supplied to Pakistan could be used in combat for the first time. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that Islamabad would cooperate with Riyadh "in every possible way" under their defence agreements. His statement followed Houthi strikes on the Saudi capital's main airport a day earlier, which killed at least 13 people and wounded many more. Reports indicate that Chinese-Pakistani fighter jets and a China-made air-defence system have been deployed to Saudi Arabia. If activated, these weapons would mark their first known combat use in the region. The defence agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia commits Islamabad to supporting the kingdom's security. Whether Pakistan will deploy its Chinese-made military equipment remains unclear.