World
How Houthis Are Using Epstein Files To Target Saudi Crown Prince In Propaganda War
By: News18 World
Published: 24 October 2026
Photo / Illustration: Haldwani Times News Desk
<p>The Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen turned revelations from files linked to deceased American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein into a propaganda tool against Saudi Arabia, seeking to undermine the kingdom’s leadership as fighting between the two sides intensifies.</p>
<p>The group seized on reports that associates of the Saudi royal court sent tapestries that had draped the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest shrine in Mecca, to Epstein’s private island. Houthi leaders and supporters used the reports to accuse Saudi Arabia’s leadership of religious hypocrisy, portraying the kingdom as aligned with corrupt foreign powers despite its status as the birthplace of Islam, New York Times reported.</p>
<p>“Those who gave Epstein the Kaaba’s cover are the ones targeting Mecca," Houthi President Mahdi al-Mashat said in a statement carried by the group’s official media.</p>
<p>How Epstein Files Became Tool Against Saudi Arabia</p>
<p>The propaganda campaign gained traction after Saudi Arabia accused the Houthis last month of firing a drone at Mecca, describing the alleged attack as a “disgraceful" attempt to provoke Muslims. The Houthis denied the accusation and sought to turn the charge of religious betrayal against the kingdom by highlighting the Epstein-related reports.</p>
<p>The messaging spread through videos, songs, speeches, statements and social media posts, amplified by a network of supporters and influencers. The Houthis control large parts of Yemen and have developed a communications operation that extends across television, websites, radio, newspapers and online platforms.</p>
<p>According to analysts, Epstein has become a recurring figure in messaging by Iran-aligned groups, serving as a symbol of alleged corruption in the United States and Israel. Such narratives have also been used to promote antisemitic conspiracy theories.</p>
<p>Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi has repeatedly referred to Epstein in speeches. In a February address, he said the files “demand serious attention", claiming they exposed what he described as a network influencing leaders and elites.</p>
<p>Campaign Targets Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman</p>
<p>The Houthis increasingly focused their messaging on Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, as the conflict between the two sides has escalated.</p>
<p>The campaign draws on several themes, including the kingdom’s relationship with the United States, its opposition to the Houthis and its military intervention in Yemen. Saudi Arabia led a military campaign against the Houthis in support of Yemen’s internationally recognised government from 2015, contributing to a conflict that helped trigger one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.</p>
<p>The Houthis have also circulated footage of Saudi officials facing criticism overseas. Last month, after Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan was filmed being confronted by an activist in New York, Houthi spokesman Ameel Hayyan shared the clip online, linking international criticism of the kingdom to its military actions in Yemen.</p>
<p>The Iran-backed Houthi militia seized on reports that associates of the Saudi royal court sent tapestries of the Kaaba to Jeffrey Epstein's private island, using it to accuse Saudi leadership of religious hypocrisy and corruption in their propaganda campaign.</p>
<p>The Houthis have increasingly focused their messaging on Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, drawing on themes like the kingdom's relationship with the United States and its military intervention in Yemen.</p>
