Saudi Arabia’s King Salman issues a stark, urgent rebuke as Houthi assaults from Yemen intensify, labeling the Iran‑backed movement a terrorist militia.
Published On 22 Sep 2026
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud labeled Yemen’s Houthi movement a terrorist militia and accused the Iran‑backed group of repeatedly striking the holy city of Mecca.
During a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the 90‑year‑old monarch delivered the remarks, according to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The statement marked a rare, direct intervention by the king in day‑to‑day affairs, which are typically managed by his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Deadly Houthi attacks this month have posed one of the most serious security threats to Saudi Arabia in recent years.
King Salman described the alleged Houthi assault on the holy city as a heinous crime and a provocation against Muslim sentiments worldwide, SPA reported.
Last week, Saudi Arabia announced it had intercepted a Houthi‑launched drone heading toward Mecca. The Houthis denied the claim, with leader Abdel‑Malik al‑Houthi dismissing the Saudi allegation as a heinous lie.
It was the first security alert in Mecca in nearly a decade, a city that houses the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest shrine.
The monarch praised the military and security services for defending the homeland and resolutely confronting any aggression against holy sites, pilgrims, citizens, and residents of the Kingdom.
Cities Across Saudi Arabia Under Threat
King Salman referenced a recent meeting between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el‑Sisi in Cairo, together with his discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron on enhancing regional stability and safeguarding maritime navigation.
Houthi missile and drone attacks are increasingly targeting Saudi cities, energy infrastructure, and shipping lanes, opening a new front in the broader regional conflict that began with the US‑Israeli war against Iran in February.
On Saturday, Saudi‑led coalition forces operating in Yemen said they intercepted a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis toward Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital. The missile ignited a fire that sent a dark column of smoke from a fuel storage area at King Khalid International Airport.
The escalation has heightened concerns for global energy supplies, as Houthi forces extended their grip over Yemen’s entire Red Sea coastline— an alternative export route for Saudi oil amid the Strait of Hormuz blockade.
Amid rising regional tensions, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement last month, stipulating that an armed attack on any of the three nations would be considered an attack on all.
