As Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz directed that Saudi Arabia respond to the request of Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi to regularize the status of Yemenis residing in the Kingdom, the Houthis aimed their missiles and drones at civilian facilities and infrastructure, embodying ingratitude and denial.
Despite efforts to de-escalate tensions in Yemen, the sincerity of Saudi Arabia’s intentions toward all Yemenis, and its role as a mediator among them, beginning with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s 2021 initiative, followed by support for the 2022 truce and engagement with various parties since 2023, Houthi claims continue to emerge that contradict what Riyadh has done, and continues to do, for Yemen.
Just as there are legendary tales known as Isra’iliyyat, there are now “Houthiyyat”: distorted narratives, false accounts, and inaccurate interpretations propagated by the Houthis regarding both the historical and current Saudi position toward Yemen, as well as exaggerated claims about their own importance and their imagined representation of all Yemenis.
... It must be emphasized that a militia remains a militia, representing only itself. No matter how firmly it establishes itself on the ground or how far it expands, it does not represent the Republic of Yemen.
This is aside from the justifications the militia promotes for its continued attacks on Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s legitimate government through statements, declarations, and descriptions repeated by its activists and representatives across media platforms and social networks fueled by illusion and provocation:
"A harmful word returns to its speaker faster than water rushing downhill."
These “Houthiyyat” - distorted claims and criminal acts - collide with the reality of extraordinary restraint, which Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, described as “a constant historical characteristic and a deeply rooted Saudi principle” during an interview on the podcast Arab Views with Faisal Abbas on Asharq channel.
However, continued attacks on facilities and loss of life could lead to the establishment of a new framework for dealing with such aggression, one that safeguards sovereignty and protects citizens, at a moment that will not be determined by a militia.
Saudi Arabia, with its standing, history, and capabilities, may choose to remain silent in the face of the claims of the deluded, but it is by no means incapable of responding to transgressions. It possesses the authority to determine the end point and, when necessary, to say, “Enough” - once and for all.
It is sufficient to note that Riyadh does not stand alone without moral support. One need only look at the widespread expressions of solidarity and the numerous statements condemning terrorist attacks against civilian facilities, infrastructure, and holy sites.
Experience has shown that “the terrorist Houthi militias have chosen chaos, destruction, and the intimidation of the Yemeni people and the region as their path,” according to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in his address to the Shura Council at the end of September 2026.
That misguided path stands in contrast to Saudi Arabia’s commitment to “comprehensive support, through the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, for the Yemeni government in extending its authority over the entire country, restoring stability, and confronting militia attacks.” The Kingdom also possesses “highly efficient capabilities to confront and completely deter threats, regardless of their source,” in addition to its initiative in building effective alliances.
A statesman and successful leader always strives to shield his people and country from potential dangers while at the same time reducing those dangers when they draw near. He pursues a constructive approach that exhausts and confounds those who harbor hostility toward his country, leaving militias of chaos and destruction to face the consequences of their own conduct and arrogance. As the saying goes: let them perish, for they are deluded by pride.
In Riyadh, there is a pioneering model that offers the country, its citizens, and the wider region the options of security and development, while exerting every effort to achieve its goals and remaining committed to curbing terrorism and extremism that seek destruction.
No matter how widespread the “Houthiyyat” become, the reality of Saudi Arabia’s position toward Yemen will not change. The Kingdom will continue to care for the Yemeni people, support their legitimate government, and contribute to Yemen’s recovery and restoration. The current reality bears witness to this:
“They blended us with their very souls and sheltered us
In chambers that gave warmth and shade.
They refused ever to tire of us, though our own mothers
Had they endured what they endured from us, would have grown weary.
And they said: “Come to our home until you see clearly,
And the clouds of confusion disperse from what has become apparent.”
