In the wake of intensifying military conflict between India and Pakistan, Saudi Arabia has launched a diplomatic initiative aimed at preventing further escalation and fostering dialogue between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, reported the Newyork Times.
According to a statement released by the Saudi Foreign Ministry on Saturday, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, visited India and Pakistan on May 8 and 9. The visit was part of a high-level peace mission authorized by the Saudi leadership to mediate and defuse tensions.
The statement emphasized Saudi Arabia’s intent to “de-escalate tensions, halt military confrontations, and encourage both nations to resolve disputes through diplomatic engagement.” The intervention follows a period of heightened hostilities triggered by India’s airstrikes on alleged terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), carried out in retaliation for the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
Al-Jubeir met Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in New Delhi on Thursday, engaging in detailed discussions over regional security concerns. On Friday, he traveled to Islamabad, where he held meetings with Pakistan’s top leadership, signaling Riyadh’s balanced diplomatic outreach to both capitals.
The Saudi efforts came just hours after Pakistan accused India of launching coordinated missile and drone strikes on three strategic airbases—Nur Khan (Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal), and Rafiqui (Shorkot). In a pre-dawn press conference on Saturday, Pakistan military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry confirmed the attacks.
Soon after, Pakistan’s state-run PTV reported a retaliatory military response named “Bunyan al-Marsous” (Iron Wall), marking a sharp escalation in the conflict. By Friday night, Pakistan reportedly conducted drone strikes on 26 Indian locations, stretching from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat.
India’s Defence Ministry confirmed it had successfully intercepted several drones and thwarted attempts to damage critical infrastructure, including airbases and civilian airports.
As the situation remains volatile and fraught with the risk of further conflict, international observers and regional stakeholders are closely monitoring developments. Saudi Arabia’s timely diplomatic engagement is being viewed as a critical attempt to pull both countries back from the brink.
