Pakistan Air Force fighter jets are being used in strikes against Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis, a senior Pakistani military official told the New York Times, marking a direct Pakistani role in the widening conflict.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters, said Pakistani aircraft were taking part in attacks on the group.
Col. David O. Smith, a former US Army attaché in Pakistan and former senior Defense Intelligence Agency analyst, told the Times that analysts estimate about 8,000 Pakistani troops have been deployed to Saudi Arabia.
Smith said the contingent includes Pakistan Air Force and Army Air Defense personnel and would likely be used to help protect Saudi oil infrastructure.
He said Pakistani troops were unlikely to take part in direct ground combat against the Houthis as Islamabad seeks to preserve its relationship with Iran.
A second Pakistani official told the Times that Pakistan’s role was expected to focus on countering Houthi drones and missiles through air support rather than joining a ground offensive in Yemen.
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