Saudi Grand Mufti Urges Troops to Fight Houthis, Cites Sacrifice

Saudi Arabia's top religious authority, Grand Mufti Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan, has issued a rare and strongly worded message urging soldiers stationed at the kingdom's borders to be prepared to sacrifice their lives fighting the Iran-backed Houthis. The call comes as Saudi Arabia rallies its allies amid growing concerns that the ongoing conflict could cripple the global economy.

The Grand Mufti's statement, addressed to soldiers, drew heavily on Quranic verses and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad related to sacrifice and struggle in defense of God. It emphasized that protecting the nation and punishing any encroachment on its territory are among the greatest duties. The statement also stressed the obligation to assert the authority of the Saudi-backed Yemeni government over the entire country.

This exhortation follows weeks of intensified violence between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. The Iran-backed group has launched missile and drone attacks on the kingdom, while Saudi Arabia has responded with airstrikes. The recent escalation marks a significant departure from a 2022 ceasefire that had largely frozen the conflict, linking the civil war in Yemen to the wider regional tensions involving Iran.

State media in Saudi Arabia has amplified a religiously-centered narrative aimed at discrediting the Houthis, who follow a different sect of Islam. This has included airing footage of alleged Houthi attacks on religious sites within the kingdom.

"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."

Amid the escalating conflict, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan held an urgent, high-level meeting under a joint defense pact to discuss support for the kingdom. The foreign ministers of the three nations condemned attacks targeting Mecca and other civilian sites, affirming Saudi Arabia's right to self-defense. They also discussed arrangements for a meeting of their chiefs of staff to coordinate support under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, which posits that an attack on one party is an attack on all.

The meeting occurred shortly after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian sought to distance Iran from the Houthis in a television interview, stating, "The Houthis are responsible for their own actions." This interview followed a period of diplomatic engagement, with Qatar mediating between the U.S. and Iran. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi indicated that Tehran had conveyed a proposal to the United States via intermediaries, suggesting the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Iranian ports and frozen funds.

Global oil prices have shown volatility amid these developments, with markets weighing the possibility of a truce against the ongoing disruptions. The conflict, which has persisted since 2015, has impacted global energy supplies, with the Houthis disrupting traffic in the Red Sea and Iran exerting pressure on tanker traffic at the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial conduit for global oil exports. The conflict has also seen an attack by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq temporarily disable Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline.

Security experts continue to assess the extent of Iran's direct influence over the Houthis, a Shi'ite Islamist movement that has grown from a local insurgency to a significant armed force controlling much of northern Yemen. However, various sources indicate that the Houthis' advances along Yemen's Red Sea coast have occurred with direct guidance from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

In parallel, the U.S. has shifted its tactics to extend the reach of its financial sanctions, targeting companies from third countries that engage in business with Iranian firms. This has led to Iranian airlines being barred from neighboring countries, potentially deepening Iran's isolation and exacerbating its economic crisis.