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Saudi Grand Mufti tells troops to 'stand united' against Houthis, restore stability in Yemen
It comes after weeks of escalating violence between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis which has seen the Iran-backed group attack the kingdom with salvos of missiles and drones
- PUBLISHED: Fri 25 Sept 2026, 11:46 AM
[Editor's Note: For the latest updates on how US-Iran hostilities have escalated since a 14-point deal was signed on June 17, follow the Khaleej Times live blog.]
Saudi Arabia's top religious authority called on soldiers in the kingdom to "be prepared to do your duty," and "stand united" against the Iran-backed Houthis until the group is ousted from power, a statement posted on the Saudi state news agency said.
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The rare and strongly worded message by Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al Fawzan was addressed to soldiers stationed at the country's borders and drew on Quranic verses and recorded sayings of the Prophet Muhammad related to sacrifice and struggle in defence of God.
It comes after weeks of escalating violence between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis which has seen the Iran-backed group attack the kingdom with salvos of missiles and drones. "Protecting this great nation... and punishing anyone who seeks to lay a hand on even an inch of its territory are among the greatest duties and most virtuous acts of devotion, for which lives and souls may be sacrificed in seeking God's pleasure," said the statement, issued late Thursday.
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Asserting the authority of the Saudi-backed internationally recognised Yemeni government over the entire country was "among the most pressing obligations," it added. The recent fighting is the latest episode in 12 years of civil war in Yemen which had largely been frozen since a 2022 but has escalated again and has become linked to the wider Iran war. Two weeks back, the Houthis also took control of the vital Bab Al Mandeb waterway.
"We ask God Almighty to grant you all his support, and to protect our countries and beloved Yemen from all harm. We also ask him to bring about the complete defeat of the Houthi group and those who assist and support them," the statement said.
State TV has in recent weeks aired footage of an alleged Houthi strike on a mosque in the kingdom's south, and authorities have also accused the Houthis of launching an attack on Makkah, Islam's holiest site.
"It is incumbent upon you, brothers serving on the front lines, to remain constantly prepared to perform your duty, to obey the rulers and your field commanders, and to carry out orders with the utmost precision, as God Almighty commanded the companions of his Prophet to do," the statement said.
"You are following in the footsteps of the Prophet's companions, defending the sacred sites of Muslims."