Saudi grand mufti urges front-line troops to unite against Houthis

Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan urged the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and Saudi soldiers stationed along the front line to remain united in confronting the Houthis and defend Saudi territory and Muslim holy sites, Anadolu reports.

In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency on Thursday and addressed to coalition forces and Saudi soldiers stationed along the border, Al-Fawzan called the Houthis “a misguided faction and deviant group,” urging the soldiers to “cooperate with one another and unite your word.”

Guarding the country’s borders, “repelling aggression against them and punishing anyone who seeks to harm even an inch of it are among the greatest duties,” he said.

“Restoring security and stability in Yemen under its legitimate leadership is a paramount duty,” Saudi Arabia’s top religious authority added.

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The statement coincided with an announcement by the Saudi-led coalition that it had intercepted and destroyed six Houthi ballistic missiles and thwarted an attempt to target the cities of Taif and Yanbu in western Saudi Arabia.

Since July, the kingdom has witnessed an escalation in Houthi attacks involving missiles and drones, with renewed fighting in Yemen spilling into neighboring Saudi Arabia.

The coalition announced in September that it had intercepted attacks that, according to its statements, targeted Riyadh, Makkah, Taif, Yanbu, and other cities.

On Sept. 19, the UN Security Council condemned the Houthi attacks on the kingdom, including those causing civilian casualties and damage to energy facilities.

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