Saudi Grand Mufti tells troops to be ready to sacrifice their lives fighting Houthis
Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti has issued a religious call for soldiers to sacrifice their lives in the fight against Houthi rebels. This comes amid escalating regional tensions and ongoing military conflict in Yemen.
Why it matters
The statement signals a potential intensification of Saudi military involvement in the Yemen conflict, which has significant implications for regional stability and global energy security.
RIYADH, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's top religious authority called on soldiers in the kingdom to be ready to lay down their lives to fight the Iran-backed Houthis until the group is ousted from power, a statement posted on the Saudi state news agency said.
The rare and strongly worded message by Saudi Grand Mufti SheikhSaleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan was addressed to soldiers stationed at the country's borders and drew heavily on Quranic verses and recorded sayings of the Prophet Mohammad 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 and Saudi Arabia respond with airstrikes.
Observers have been questioning whether Saudi Arabia will launch a broader military operation along with Yemeni government forces it backs.
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