Makkah Under Attack? MBS in Big Trouble | Pakistan Stuck Between Allies?

A drone attack on Makkah has been foiled, the Houthis have taken control of Bab el-Mandeb, and Saudi Arabia is now facing its toughest test in decades. Is this Iran’s endgame, and where does it leave Pakistan? In this Raftar podcast, Zubair Anjum Siddiqui sits down with Raftar founder Farhan Malik to unpack the attempted drone strike on Makkah and the crisis surrounding it. They discuss whether it could be a false flag operation, why the Houthis are fighting Saudi Arabia, and how Iran has squeezed the Kingdom from both the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb. They also talk about why Trump refused to help MBS, how America’s billion-dollar weapons failed against cheap drones, and why Iran and Israel now seem to want the same thing in the region. Most importantly, they ask what this means for Pakistan, a country whose economy leans heavily on Saudi Arabia, that shares a long border with Iran, and that has promised to stand with the Kingdom in defending the Haramain. What can Pakistan and Turkey really do, and what surprise could MBS still pull? Watch till the end and share your thoughts in the comments. #raftar #Raftaar #FarhanMallick #Raftardocumentary #SaudiavsIran #MiddleEastWar #Raftarpodcast Please support us by subscribing to our channel, sharing our content, and engaging with us. Even if our work doesn't resonate with you, we'd appreciate your feedback. Raftar is not merely a content company that produces meticulously researched, high-quality videos about the economy, youth issues, gender roles, and sports. More than that, we represent a movement for social change. We cannot make a difference without your participation and support. For more amazing content, SUBSCRIBE NOW! YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@raftartv YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@raftarnewsofficial YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@raftarsports Website: https://raftar.com/ 00:00 - Highlights 01:35 - Drone attack on Makkah: what we know 02:32 - Farhan Malik joins the discussion 02:56 - False flag, or a move to drag the pact’s signatories in? 05:24 - “Iran is playing a very dangerous game” 06:31 - Houthis seize Perim Island and close Bab-el-Mandeb 07:33 - What is the Houthis’ fight with Saudi Arabia? 08:05 - Iran’s proxy crescent around Saudi Arabia 08:37 - The Saudi blockade on Yemen 09:51 - Why this is MBS’s biggest test 10:56 - Why Bab-el-Mandeb matters so much 11:54 - Iran’s long plan to control two sea routes 12:41 - The real centre of gravity: Tehran 12:50 - Iran’s friendly words vs its actions toward Pakistan 13:23 - Why Pakistan’s economy depends on Saudi Arabia 14:15 - Where are oil prices heading? 14:28 - Trump declines to help MBS 15:10 - JD Vance: “Yemen is not our war” 15:30 - The US midterms and Trump’s weak spot 16:36 - The war’s cost and the 5% treasury yield warning 18:03 - A record bomb sale to Israel 20:13 - The Gulf paid billions for US protection – what now? 21:40 - Will US bases leave the Gulf? 21:59 - Where Iran’s and Israel’s interests meet 23:57 - Two powers fighting, the GCC stuck in the middle 24:40 - The anti-war mood in America 26:16 - Back to the drone attack 26:33 - Why billions in US defences failed 27:20 - The new asymmetric warfare: cheap drones, costly defence 28:58 - Energy infrastructure becomes a target 29:20 - Why Israel stays insulated 30:04 - Reports of new weapons technology reaching the Houthis 31:39 - Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia under pressure 31:52 - A frustrated MBS can surprise everyone 32:42 - Why did Saudi Arabia sign a pact with Pakistan and Turkey? 33:06 - What can Pakistan do to protect the Harmain? 34:16 - Defence, yes – but offence? 34:34 - False flag? What the sequence of events suggests 35:26 - Negotiating from weakness 35:46 - Has Iran checkmated the region? 36:35 - Is Iran an expansionist regime? 36:43 - Oman’s call for direct talks 37:12 - A divided GCC 37:42 - Who gains from this chaos? 37:56 - Does the Gulf have any option but peace with Iran? 38:24 - Bargaining after losing: the Pakistan–India lens 39:19 - The Abraham Accords and the “lesser evil” 42:34 - Is Iran winning against a superpower? 43:13 - Bab-el-Mandeb’s grip on the global economy 43:54 - Who first armed the Houthis? Israel in the 1960s 45:18 - Why Iran won’t sign a peace deal 46:53 - Has regime change backfired on Trump? 47:37 - The Mufti’s message to Saudi Arabia 48:11 - Closing