Trump calls off planned Houthi strikes — Could Turkiye and Pakistan be drawn into the conflict?

President Donald Trump has reportedly halted planned U.S. airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, choosing to give diplomacy more time as tensions continue to rise in the region.

According to reports, the Pentagon had already prepared potential targets and was moving toward military action when Trump decided to hold off on the strikes. The decision followed a request from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for U.S. assistance against the Houthis.

Trump said Sunday that Washington remains in communication with the Houthis and suggested that they do not want a direct conflict with the United States.

The decision leaves questions about what comes next for Saudi Arabia, particularly as Houthi attacks and regional tensions continue.

One of the biggest questions now is whether Turkiye and Pakistan could become more directly involved if the situation escalates.

Both countries have strengthened their defense relationship with Saudi Arabia. Turkiye has indicated that it is prepared to support Saudi Arabia’s military needs, while Pakistan has also reaffirmed its commitment to the kingdom.

However, neither Turkiye nor Pakistan has announced that it will send combat forces to Yemen to fight the Houthis.

The situation could become more complicated if attacks against Saudi Arabia intensify or if Riyadh formally requests military assistance from its defense partners.

For now, the United States has stepped back from the immediate strike option, leaving diplomacy at the center of the latest effort to prevent a wider regional conflict.

But with the Houthis still active and Saudi Arabia seeking greater security guarantees, attention is increasingly turning to Ankara and Islamabad — and to whether their support for Riyadh will remain diplomatic and defensive or eventually extend to direct military involvement.