Iran and Mecca pact agree on efforts to end Saudi-Houthi conflict as attacks continue

Talks in Tehran between Iranian officials and representatives of the Mecca pact have produced an agreement on efforts to end the Saudi-Houthi conflict, according to Pakistan's defence minister, Khawaja Asif. The Mecca pact is a military alliance between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan. The meeting was the first between Iran and the alliance since the Houthis escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia.

A joint Iranian statement after the talks stressed the importance of coordinating efforts for regional peace. The Houthis were not involved in the talks. Their continued strikes on Saudi Arabia have led to questions about whether Iran can restrain the group. Tehran says the Houthis act independently on military decisions.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary met a Houthi representative in Tehran, though details of the meeting were not disclosed. Mohsen Rezaie, a senior Iranian security official and former Revolutionary Guard commander, welcomed the talks with the Mecca pact. He said the sides were on the same page about a new security architecture for the region, one that would not involve the United States or other external forces. Regional countries are wary of such an arrangement, which could imply Iranian dominance.

Despite the diplomatic contacts, the Houthis continued to target Saudi Arabia. Two ballistic missiles were intercepted over the kingdom, and citizens in Riyadh were told to seek safety. The Houthis said they targeted the defence ministry in the capital. They also said they attacked the Ras Tanura oil refinery, the largest of its kind in the region.

Monitoring of the latest strikes suggested the Houthis used ballistic missiles known as Palestine 2. Images released by Saudi Arabia showed shrapnel had damaged a car and a building site, but it was not clear the missiles hit their intended targets. The Houthis said Saudi Arabia launched more than 80 strikes in 24 hours, and those generally appeared to hit their targets more often. The Houthis also attacked Saudi-backed forces in the Bab al-Mandeb strait.

Saudi-backed Yemeni forces reported intense clashes with the Houthis in Al-Jawf province on the Yemen-Saudi border. Fighters said they were advancing towards Houthi positions on several fronts and that Houthi militias were retreating.

Egypt's president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, said Egypt was prepared to deploy military forces to defend Saudi Arabia if the kingdom asked for help. He said Egypt's role would be strictly defensive and would not include attacks on Yemen. Egypt's parliament approved a request by el-Sisi for a mandate to provide military support to Saudi Arabia.

A Saudi source, cited in reporting, said Iran had asked proxies including Hezbollah and Iraqi groups not to get involved if there was an escalation. The same source said Iran had told Washington that Iraqi and Lebanese territory would be unlikely to be used. The claim should be treated with caution.