Pakistan has delivered a Saudi warning to Iran demanding that Tehran rein in its Houthi allies in Yemen following a major escalation in attacks against Saudi Arabia, as the countries seek to prevent the crisis from spiraling further, The Times of Israel reports, citing Saudi, Pakistani and Iranian sources.

The warning followed Houthi strikes Tuesday against an airbase in Khamis Mushait and oil infrastructure in nearby Saudi cities, which wounded 73 people. The attacks were among the largest against Saudi Arabia since the Iran war began in February.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said Wednesday that Saudi warplanes had carried out 54 airstrikes across several Yemeni provinces over the previous 12 hours, warning that the strikes would not go unanswered. The escalating confrontation has opened another regional front threatening global energy supplies as Iran and the United States simultaneously trade attacks against shipping in the Gulf.

Pakistan’s warning carries additional weight because of its defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said that while Islamabad’s military role would be limited to defending Saudi territory, an attack spilling into the kingdom could activate the joint security arrangement between the three countries. Under the pact, he said, aggression against one would be considered aggression against all three.

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