Saudi Coalition Says Houthi Drone Intercepted Near Mecca

Saudi Arabia’s air defences intercepted and destroyed a drone near Mecca before it entered the restricted airspace over the holy city, according to the Saudi-led military coalition.

The incident occurred on Tuesday evening as tensions between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi movement continued to escalate. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said the drone was launched by the Houthis and described the security of Mecca as a “red line.”

The Houthis have denied targeting Mecca. Houthi political bureau member Mohammed al-Farah described the Saudi allegation as false, according to the Houthi-run Saba news agency.

Saudi authorities issued security alerts covering Mecca and other areas following the incident, as the kingdom remains on heightened alert over further missile and drone attacks.

The coalition said the incident represented the second reported attempt by the Houthis to target Mecca. The first was in July 2017, when Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a ballistic missile launched towards the holy city.

The latest incident comes after a series of Houthi attacks on Saudi territory. Saudi coalition officials said missile and drone strikes on several southern cities earlier this week injured 13 civilians and damaged homes and vehicles.

The escalation follows the breakdown of a period of relative calm in the Yemen conflict. Saudi Arabia has led a coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government against the Houthis since 2015.

The Houthis have said their recent attacks are retaliation for Saudi airstrikes on areas of Yemen. The renewed fighting has also raised concerns over the security of important maritime routes around the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The incident near Mecca adds a sensitive religious dimension to the widening conflict because the city is home to Islam’s holiest sites and attracts millions of Muslim pilgrims.

Saudi authorities have not reported damage from the intercepted drone. The competing accounts over whether Mecca was specifically targeted remain unresolved, with Saudi officials attributing the incident to the Houthis and the group denying that it aimed at the holy city.