Houthis weaponize Jeffrey Epstein scandal to challenge Saudi religious legitimacy
The Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen is exploiting allegations that Saudi royals sent Kaaba tapestries to Jeffrey Epstein’s island, using the story to question Saudi Arabia’s role as defender of Islam.
Amid escalating clashes with Saudi-backed forces, Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militia has launched a propaganda offensive centered on the Jeffrey Epstein case. The group points to claims that Saudi royal associates shipped tapestries that once draped the Kaaba to Epstein’s private island in the Caribbean, portraying the donors as now threatening the holy city of Mecca. Houthi president Mahdi al-Mashat warned that those who gave the Kaaba’s cover are targeting the holy site, and senior commander Abdul-Malik al-Houthi described Epstein’s files as exposing a “Zionist incubator” training elites.
The narrative follows Saudi Arabia’s recent allegation that the Houthis fired a drone at Mecca, a charge the militia rejected while counter-accusing Saudi Arabia of religious hypocrisy. The Houthis continue to leverage grievances over the Saudi-led bombing campaign and the humanitarian crisis to frame the kingdom as an adversary of Muslims, as the broader Yemen conflict intensifies.
Why it matters
The story shows how the Houthis are using a high-profile scandal to undermine Saudi Arabia’s religious authority and rally support amid renewed fighting.
How this story developed
- Oct 7 Halo Trust says around 30 aid workers stranded in besieged Taiz
- Oct 21 An assault on Dammam airport in Saudi Arabia resulted in one fatality and at least eight injuries, authorities said.
- Oct 22 Saudi aviation authorities have opened an investigation into the airport damage.
- Oct 23 The WHO warned that health facilities in Taiz are facing acute shortages of essential resources.
In this story
Related stories
15 in this thread