Saudi Grand Mufti calls on troops to be ready to die fighting Houthis in rare wartime address as global economy fears mount

From the Newshound archive · first published 25 September 2026 · last updated 26 September 2026.

Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti issued a rare direct address to troops urging them to be prepared to sacrifice their lives against the Houthis, as the Kingdom rallies regional allies for what could become a major escalation in Yemen. The intervention by one of Islam's most senior clerics signals Riyadh is treating the conflict as a religious as well as military duty. Yemen's internationally recognised government simultaneously warned the UN that Houthi moves on a key strait threaten the global economy.

The Houthis sought to limit the coalition forming against them, promising not to target European ships in a bid to fracture Western solidarity with Saudi Arabia.

Fears are mounting that a full-scale Saudi-Houthi war could cripple global trade routes through one of the world's most strategically vital waterways.

The Grand Mufti's personal call to arms is exceptionally rare, and signals Riyadh views this moment as a fundamental test of Saudi power and Islamic authority in the region.