Saudi Grand Mufti Urges Soldiers to Fight Houthis

Saudi Grand Mufti Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan issued a religious appeal calling on soldiers stationed at the borders and coalition forces to be prepared to sacrifice their lives to fight the Houthis. Utilizing Quranic verses and sayings of the Prophet Mohammad, Al-Fawzan characterized the Iran-backed group as a "group of evil" and a "misguided faction" founded on corruption.

The Grand Mufti urged troops to remain united, obey their commanders, and defend Saudi territory and Islamic holy sites. He asserted that the Houthis have caused national division in Yemen and sought to harm sacred sites, including the holy city of Mecca. Al-Fawzan framed the defense of the nation as a virtuous act of devotion and stated that restoring the authority of Yemen's legitimate government is a pressing obligation for regional stability.

This religious mobilization follows weeks of escalating violence, including Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and subsequent Saudi airstrikes. The tension is set against a 12-year civil war in Yemen, recently intensified by the Houthis seizing control of the Bab el-Mandeb waterway. Saudi authorities have further framed the conflict as a religious struggle, citing alleged Houthi attacks on a mosque in southern Saudi Arabia.