Dangerous new front

The Houthis are endangering navigational traffic in the Bab El-Mandeb Strait. Their naval blockade of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea is ultra vires under international law. This appears to be an act of desperation by the Yemeni militia as it seeks to settle scores amidst regional warfare. Thus, the Houthis' attack on two Saudi oil tankers is condemnable and must be halted immediately. Reportedly, one of the vessels is on fire after being hit by cruise and ballistic missiles. The strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, is a critical artery for Middle Eastern trade with the Mediterranean and beyond; its closure could severely disrupt global supply lines.

Pakistan has led from the front in lambasting this high-seas piracy by the Houthis, and has offered its unequivocal support to Saudi Arabia. While Islamabad has a mutual defence pact with Riyadh, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a telephonic conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reiterated that Saudi Arabia has the right to self-defence if its maritime interests are targeted in any hostile act.

The Foreign Office too on Wednesday extended Pakistan's unconditional support to the Kingdom, saying that "such actions threaten regional security, undermine freedom of navigation, challenge the rules-based maritime order and jeopardise uninterrupted flow of global commerce." Pakistan's statement is by far the strongest issued by any non-Arab country on the Houthi threats.

This new front in the Middle East conflict is unnerving and demands an immediate regional response to rein in the Houthis. With the Strait of Hormuz entangled in a web of warfare, uncertainty and near-unnavigability, this Red Sea outlet must remain open to international traffic. The continuation of hostilities - in violation of the 60-day ceasefire reached between the US and Iran on June 17 - poses an existential threat, underscoring the need to revert to diplomacy. The method in this madness, as Iran strikes at Gulf States in retaliation for the US offensive on its territory, is only expanding the theater of war. This added layer of Houthi brinkmanship is far too dangerous to be tolerated for even a single day.