‘Be Ready to Die’: Saudi Grand Mufti Calls on Troops to Fight Houthis

RIYADH, Sept 25: Saudi Arabia's top religious authority has called on soldiers stationed along the Kingdom's border with Yemen to remain prepared to sacrifice their lives in defending the country against attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi group.

Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan said protecting Saudi Arabia and preventing anyone from violating its territory were among the greatest duties and acts of devotion, according to a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.

“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,” he said.

The rare and strongly worded statement was directed at Saudi soldiers deployed along the border with Yemen and drew extensively on Qur'anic verses and recorded sayings of the Prophet Muhammad concerning sacrifice and defense.

The statement comes amid renewed fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, with the Iran-backed group carrying out missile and drone attacks against the Kingdom and Saudi Arabia responding with airstrikes.

Al-Fawzan urged troops on the front lines to remain constantly prepared to perform their duties, obey Saudi leaders and field commanders, and follow orders precisely.

“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,” he said.

He described the soldiers as following in the footsteps of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad by defending Muslim holy sites.

The grand mufti also called for the defeat of the Houthi group and those supporting it, while praying for the protection of Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

“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.

Saudi state television has in recent weeks aired footage it described as showing an alleged Houthi strike on a mosque in southern Saudi Arabia. Saudi authorities have also accused the Houthis of launching an attack targeting Makkah.

The latest escalation is being linked to the wider regional conflict involving Iran and follows years of fighting in Yemen. The country's civil war had largely remained frozen following a UN-brokered truce in 2022 before renewed regional tensions led to an escalation.

The Houthis have also expanded their presence along Yemen's Red Sea coast and around the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a strategic maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean.

The developments have raised further concerns over international shipping and energy supplies, particularly amid disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz.