The Mufti of Saudi Arabia directs a statement to the stationed forces, and Macron announces French military aid to protect Yanbu

The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Saleh Al-Fawzan, sent a statement to those he described as “al-Mourabitoun” and the coalition forces led by the Kingdom fighting the Ansar Allah Houthi group in Yemen, which included Qur’anic verses and hadiths urging them to “unity and jihad.”

Al-Fawzan, who is the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars, and General President of the General Presidency for Scientific Research and Fatwa with the rank of minister, addressed the Saudi forces, describing them as “al-Murabitun,” saying: “You must always be ready to carry out your duty, listen and obey your rulers and leaders in the field, and carry out orders with complete perfection.”

He also addressed the coalition forces, saying: “Know that you are fighting an enemy that has spread corruption in the country, divided the people, rebelled against its rulers, and harmed the sanctities of the Muslims,” urging them to unite their ranks, cooperate among themselves, and unite their word, as he put it.

Al-Fawzan described the Ansar Allah Houthi group as a “misguided group” and “a gang of evil and enemy intrigues.”

This development comes as fighting rages in Yemen between the Houthis and government forces supported by Riyadh, resulting in the deaths of at least dozens on both sides.

On Thursday, Saudi Arabia intercepted missiles launched by the Houthis after issuing brief warnings that included areas including the city of Mecca - the holiest place for Muslims -, with the escalation of attacks launched from Yemen towards the Kingdom.

The Saudi-led coalition supporting the internationally recognized Yemeni government said that its forces intercepted six ballistic missiles, explaining that it had thwarted attacks on the Saudi cities of Taif and Yanbu.

On Thursday night, the Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree, announced the bombing of a “sensitive target” in Riyadh, and launched another operation “targeting the Aramco company in Yanbu” on the Red Sea, using missiles and drones.

This is the second time in less than a week that the Houthis have announced targeting the Saudi capital, while during the last period they launched several attacks on Yanbu facilities, the vital oil site on the western coast of the Kingdom on the Red Sea.

Saree also said Thursday that the Houthis carried out a “qualitative and broad military operation with dozens of ballistic missiles and drones” on the Jizan region in the southwest of the Kingdom, targeting “operations, command and control rooms, weapons stores, and important sites,” in addition to missile launching sites.

French military aid to Saudi Arabia

In this context, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Paris will send forces and defense systems to Saudi Arabia to help protect the city of Yanbu overlooking the Red Sea.

He added in an interview with the TF1 and France 2 channels: “This is the agreement we concluded with the Saudis. We will send military resources: soldiers, radar systems, and defensive systems to protect this site. Not with the aim of engaging in any conflicts, but rather to protect this site.”

In response to a question about the possibility of sending Rafale fighters, Macron said: “We will see how things develop and we will act according to the needs.”

He continued: "But in any case, we are working to protect this site, through which a few weeks ago more than five million barrels per day passed. Once we ease the tension in one of these places, the impact will be direct on fuel prices at the distribution stations."

An “urgent” security meeting between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey

Meanwhile, a tripartite meeting was held in New York, which included the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Pakistan, Muhammad Ishaq Dar, and Turkey, Hakan Fidan, within the framework of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement.

During the meeting, the ministers expressed their “condemnation of the attacks that targeted Mecca and civil and economic installations in the Kingdom,” and affirmed “its right to take the measures it deems appropriate to defend its security in accordance with Article (51) of the United Nations Charter,” according to a statement by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.