Islamabad has issued its strongest warning yet to Yemen's Houthi rebels, vowing to use force if necessary to protect Pakistani vessels and maritime interests, after the group announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia. The Foreign Office statement on Wednesday marked a significant escalation in rhetoric, linking the Houthi threat directly to Pakistan's national security and its mutual defence agreement with Riyadh. Main Developments Pakistan "unequivocally" condemned the Houthi threats against Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, the Foreign Office said. The statement comes after Yemen's Houthi rebels, aligned with Iran, announced an immediate maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia, opening a new front in the ongoing Middle East conflict. Islamabad declared that "any hostile act against Pakistani-flagged vessels or Pakistani maritime interests will be regarded as a grave threat to Pakistan's national security and sovereign interests." The FO warned that Pakistan reserved its right to "take all necessary measures, including lawful use of force, in the exercise of self-defence to protect its maritime assets and national interests," consistent with the United Nations Charter and international law. Read also: Why a Road in KP Holds Clues to Pakistan's Monsoon Crisis The FO also shared an Arabic version of the statement on its X account. Islamabad said it was "particularly concerned by reports of threats directed against vessels engaged in lawful commercial trade" with Saudi Arabia, calling such actions "unacceptable" and a violation of established principles of international law. On Tuesday, three oil tankers loaded with Saudi crude for China and India made U-turns in the Red Sea, heading towards the Suez Canal rather than braving the Yemeni coast at the sea's mouth, Reuters reported. US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that his country would "take care of" the Houthis if they followed through on the threat to blockade Saudi Arabia's ports. Background The Houthis' Monday announcement came after the group and Saudi Arabia traded fire last week for the first time in years, threatening a 2022 truce that has held despite expiring. After Houthi fired missiles at Saudi Arabia on July 13, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had expressed Pakistan's strong condemnation of the "blatant attacks" against the kingdom, without further specifying the attacks. Under a "Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement" signed between the two in September 2025, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are to treat any attack on either nation as an act of aggression against both. Pakistan had invoked the defence pact through diplomatic intervention in early March to help deter heavier Iranian strikes against Saudi Arabia. Islamabad had also backed Riyadh at an emergency UN Security Council briefing on Yemen, calling for all parties concerned to resolve differences through dialogue and diplomacy. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have maintained close defence and security ties for decades, and their cooperation has remained an important element of Islamabad's regional diplomacy. Why It Matters The naval blockade, if enforced, could cut off access to Saudi Arabia's Red Sea ports, which have been vital for oil exports as renewed US-Iran fighting limits passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia's Red Sea port of Yanbu has been crucial for exporting oil, bypassing Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz during its war with the United States. Crude oil exports from Saudi Arabia fell for a third straight month in May to a record low, data from the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) showed on Tuesday, with the US-Iran conflict disrupting shipments across the Gulf. Exports fell to about 3.434 million barrels per day in May, from 3.986m bpd in April. The Houthis have previously tried to cut off shipping through the Red Sea, leveraging the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a choke point at its southern tip which vessels must navigate when travelling to or from the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean. What's Next It remains unclear how the Houthis would enforce such a blockade. The FO statement called upon all parties to respect international law and ensure the safety and security of international maritime shipping, while reiterating Pakistan's "unwavering support for the security, sovereignty, territorial integrity and prosperity of the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia." Islamabad said it was "deeply concerned over attempts to drag" Saudi Arabia into the Middle East conflict, as fighting continues between the United States and Iran, which in turn has targeted American military sites in some Gulf countries. Pakistan's warning of possible military response to any hostile act against its flag vessels sets the stage for potential escalation if the Houthis attempt to enforce the embargo on ships linked to Pakistan.