Yemen and the Red Sea

An account relaying The New York Times says Pakistani Air Force fighter jets are taking part in Saudi strikes on Houthi militants in Yemen

MOVEMENT
Location
Yemen
Actors
Saudi Arabia · Houthis
Importance
Standard

An account posting at 14:41 UTC on 8 October 2026 relayed a New York Times report that a senior Pakistani military official said Pakistani Air Force fighter jets are taking part in Saudi Arabia's airstrikes against Houthi militants in Yemen. The post also relays David Smith, a former analyst at the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, who said analysts estimate around 8,000 Pakistani troops are currently stationed in Saudi Arabia, and another Pakistani official who said Islamabad's role is limited to air support rather than ground operations inside Yemen. The post gives no date for the New York Times report and no confirmation from Pakistan or Saudi Arabia.

Verification: unverified

Evidence: The New York Times: Pakistani Air Force fighter jets participating in Saudi airstrikes in Yemen

The document read is a single post on X relaying The New York Times; the newspaper article was not opened and neither Pakistan nor Saudi Arabia is quoted directly. The troop figure of about 8,000 comes from a former analyst cited in that post, not from a Pakistani statement. The post gives no date for the reported statements, so the time of the operations is not established here.