Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti, Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan, urges troops stationed at the kingdom’s borders to be ready to sacrifice their lives to fight the Iran-backed Houthis, according to a message posted on Saudi state news. The statement, described as rare and strongly worded, draws on Quranic verses and sayings attributed to the Prophet Mohammad about sacrifice and defending the faith.
The call is issued amid weeks of escalating violence between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. Outlets describe Houthi missile and drone attacks directed at Saudi territory, alongside Saudi responses including airstrikes. The message is framed as continuing the fight until the Houthis are removed from power, reflecting the religious authority’s position on the conflict. Different coverage focuses either on the clerical wording and religious grounding of the message or on the immediate background of attacks and military retaliation.
