War launched to foil Houthi ‘terror plot’ in region: King

Saudi Arabia said on Sunday that the purpose of launching Operation Decisive Storm was to prevent foreign forces from using Yemen as a base for regional conspiracies and transforming it into a stage for terrorism.
“By launching Decisive Storm, Saudi Arabia’s only intention was to support the Yemeni people,” said Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman while addressing the 22nd session of the Islamic Fiqh Council in Makkah.
King Salman said the Houthis are backed by foreign forces who intend to establish dominance and create chaos in the region. “They attacked the legitimate government in Yemen and threatened neighboring countries, most importantly Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal read out the king’s speech.
King Salman said the Saudi government has given utmost importance to organizing the issuance of religious edicts by establishing specialized bodies, such as the Islamic Fiqh Council, an affiliate of the Muslim World League (MWL), and Dar Al-Ifta.
He noted the council’s role in discussing modern issues in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah, is to provide people with the right guidance. The matter requires greater cooperation and joint action to provide the right Islamic opinion for the betterment of the Ummah through the correct understanding of Shariah objectives.
King Salman said Islamic edicts should be given by qualified people and bodies. “This is necessary to protect people from falling into chaos and confusion,” he said. “Some foreign forces use abhorrent sectarianism to achieve their political ambitions. This has nothing to do with Islamic victory but triggers aggression on other people and their rights,” he said.
King Salman called upon the council and similar organizations to highlight the danger posed by the Houthis and their like, saying they conspire against the Ummah and spread evil, corruption and division in the Muslim world.
He urged the MWL to coordinate with other Islamic organizations to set out a framework for joint Islamic work to educate Muslims to keep away from suspicious activities and encourage them to follow the right path.
Saleh Al-Marzouqi, secretary-general of the Islamic Fiqh Council, called upon participating scholars to study the impact of Houthi attacks on Yemen without bias. “Muslims all over the world are awaiting your expert opinion on the issue.”