Saudi Arabia has warned Yemen’s Houthi group that the security of Mecca and other Islamic holy sites is a “red line” after its air defences intercepted and destroyed a drone south of the holy city, according to the Saudi-led coalition fighting the group in Yemen.
The drone was intercepted on Tuesday evening before it could enter the restricted airspace over Mecca, coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki said in a statement on Wednesday. He said the coalition would take “necessary deterrent measures” against the Houthis, according to Reuters.
Al-Malki described the incident as the second attempt by the Houthis to target Mecca, following a ballistic missile launch in July 2017 that Saudi Arabia had also said was aimed at the holy city. The Houthis denied that the earlier missile was directed at Mecca.
The Houthis have rejected Saudi Arabia’s latest allegation. Hazem al-Assad, a member of the group's political bureau, said on X that claims that the group had targeted Mecca were a “worn-out lie” and denied that the Houthis had sought to strike the holy city.
The incident comes amid a sharp escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis after a week of attacks across the kingdom. Saudi authorities issued security alerts on Tuesday covering several areas, including Mecca and Jeddah, although the alerts were later lifted and authorities did not immediately report whether any projectiles had struck their targets.
The Houthis have claimed several recent attacks on Saudi targets, including an airbase, describing them as retaliation for Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen. The group has also expanded its presence along Yemen's Red Sea coast, including areas close to the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a major route for global shipping.
The renewed fighting comes after a period of relative calm following the 2022 UN-brokered truce in Yemen. The latest escalation has also contributed to renewed displacement in Yemen, with the UN refugee agency reporting that more than 100,000 people have been displaced internally amid the recent fighting.
Mecca is Islam's holiest city and is home to the Grand Mosque and the Kaaba. It is the focal point of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, which draws millions of Muslims from around the world. The Saudi-led coalition said the security of Mecca, Medina and pilgrims would remain a “red line”.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, a grouping of 57 Muslim-majority countries, also condemned what it described as an attack targeting the holy city and expressed support for Saudi Arabia's security.
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