An urgent meeting of the chiefs of staff of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey is being arranged to discuss military support for the kingdom, as Saudi's Grand Mufti called on soldiers to remain prepared to fight the Iran-backed Houthis.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at the kingdom’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York on Thursday.
According to Saudi state media, the three ministers discussed arrangements for an “urgent meeting of their military chiefs to explore ways to support Saudi Arabia” under the Makkah Defence Agreement, which stipulates that an attack on one party constitutes an attack on all of them.
The ministers strongly condemned attacks targeting Makkah and civilian and economic facilities in Saudi Arabia and praised the Saudi armed forces for their response.
In a rare message, Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan called on soldiers stationed on the front lines to “remain permanently prepared to carry out” their duty, urging them to “listen to and obey the rulers and your commanders in the field” and execute orders.
“Protecting this great entity, guarding its borders, repelling aggression against it and punishing anyone who seeks to violate even an inch of its territory are... among the greatest duties and acts of devotion, for which lives and souls are sacrificed,” he added.
“We advise our sons stationed on the front lines to remain patient, steadfast and vigilant... We ask God Almighty to grant all of you support, protect our country and beloved Yemen from all evil, and bring an end to the Houthi group and those who assist and support it.”
On Thursday, the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed six ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis, while air defences thwarted attempts to target the Saudi cities of Taif and Yanbu.
