Saudi Arabia's top cleric urges soldiers to fight Houthis until they are removed from power

On September 25, 2026, Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti, Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan, called on Saudi soldiers to be ready to sacrifice their lives fighting the Iran-backed Houthis until the group is ousted from power. The statement, posted on the Saudi state news agency, came after weeks of escalating violence, including Houthi missile and drone attacks on the kingdom and Saudi airstrikes in response. The Houthis had recently taken control of the Bab el-Mandeb waterway from Yemeni government forces. The conflict has been ongoing since 2015, with Yemen's civil war now in its 12th year.