Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia at the UN General Assembly and said any threat to the safety of Mecca was a red line that must not be crossed. Riyadh said last week that a downed drone had targeted Mecca; the Houthis deny it. Al Jazeera reports that he named Medina too.
Geopolitics··Morning
Mecca's safety is a red line
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia at the UN General Assembly. He said any threat to the safety and sanctity of Mecca was a red line that must not be crossed. Al Jazeera reports that he named Medina beside Mecca in that warning. A red line is a diplomatic expression for a limit a country implies it will respond to if crossed. Sharif spoke during the General Assembly's general debate, where leaders address the body.[1], [2]
Riyadh says a downed drone targeted Mecca
Sharif described an attempted drone attack on Mecca as an outrage against Muslims. Riyadh said last week that a downed drone had targeted Mecca. The Houthis denied the accusation. Mecca is Islam's holiest city, visited by millions of Muslims every year for the pilgrimage. The Houthis are the armed movement in Yemen. According to Riyadh, the drone was shot down before it reached Mecca.[1]
The defence pact is not yet fully ratified
The National reported that the joint defence pact signed last month with Saudi Arabia and Turkey has not yet been fully ratified. Sharif's red line is therefore a political warning from the UN podium, not the expression of a military obligation in force.[1]
