Saudi Arabia intercepts Houthi drones headed for Mecca, Islam’s holiest city; Iran-backed group rejects claim of attack

Saudi Arabia issued its first-ever air threat alert for Mecca amid escalating Houthi attacks, while Saudi forces said they intercepted a drone near the holy city and the OIC condemned the reported attack.

Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense issued an emergency alert for a potential hostile aerial attack on Mecca, the first such warning ever given in the Islamic holy city. Residents were told to move indoors to safe places and stay away from windows and doors until the threat had passed. Parallel alerts were sent for Jeddah and Taif. 

Although the warning was lifted within minutes, it came amid a growing security threat from the Iran-backed Houthis, who have stepped up attacks on the kingdom and expanded their control along Yemen’s strategically vital Red Sea coast.

OIC condemns Houthi attack

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly condemned what it called the Houthis’ “heinous attacks” targeting Mecca and the Medina region. It said the strikes endangered civilians, violated the sanctity of holy sites and mosques, and provoked Muslims worldwide.

The OIC labelled attacks on holy places, mosques and civilian infrastructure as terrorism, declared them “unacceptable and intolerable,” and expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia while supporting Riyadh’s measures to defend its security, sovereignty, people and the holy sites.

The latest warning came after a series of attacks and warnings across Saudi Arabia. 

Saudi defence intercepted Houthi drone 

Saudi-led coalition forces said that their air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca, stopping it from entering the restricted airspace over the holy city.

Coalition spokesman Turki Al-Maliki declared that the security of the Two Holy Mosques and the safety of pilgrims are a “red line,” and that the coalition would take any necessary steps to prevent further Houthi attacks.

Also Read | Yemen conflict escalates: Houthi offensive targets Marib, pushing Saudi Arabia to the brink

Houthis refuted allegation 

A Houthi official denied the allegation on Wednesday.

"The claims about targeting Mecca are a worn-out lie that has been used before and no longer fools anyone," Hazem al-Assad wrote on X. 

Meanwhile, the Houthis claimed on Tuesday that Saudi warplanes had conducted 52 airstrikes across five provinces in the previous 24 hours, as fighting between the two sides continued to intensify.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea stated on the social media platform X that F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets carried out the attacks after launching from air bases in the southwestern Saudi city of Khamis Mushait and the western city of Taif.

According to Sarea, the strikes targeted the southwestern province of Taiz, northern Al-Jawf, central Al-Bayda, and the northern provinces of Saada and Amran. He alleged that the attacks hit schools, bridges, roads, and other civilian infrastructure.

Sarea warned that the strikes “will not go unanswered,” indicating that the Houthis plan to retaliate further against Saudi Arabia.

Houthis rising control of Red Sea 

The cross-border escalation comes amid a Houthi offensive launched on September 3 that has shifted front lines along Yemen's Red Sea coast. The group captured the strategic port city of Mocha on September 10 before advancing into the Bab al-Mandab area and seizing Mayun Island at the heart of the strait on September 11.

Yemen's conflict erupted in late 2014 when the Houthis seized Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government. 

Also Read | Yemen Houthis claim major missile, drone attack on Saudi air base

Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in india news and world news on Zee News.