Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen’s Iran backed Houthi rebels towards Mecca overnight, raising tensions in the region. The Houthis denied targeting the holy city and called the Saudi accusation a “nauseating lie”.
Saudi authorities said the drone was destroyed before it entered the airspace over Mecca, the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad. Saudi officials described Mecca as a “red line”.
According to Colonel Turki al Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi led coalition fighting the Houthis, the incident was the second reported attempt to target Mecca by the rebels. He said a ballistic missile was fired towards the city in 2017.
Houthis Deny Targeting Mecca
The Houthis rejected Saudi Arabia’s account and denied launching a drone towards Mecca. The group did not provide further details about the incident.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed support for Saudi Arabia after the reported interception. He said any attempt to threaten the safety of Islam’s holiest city could not be accepted “in any way whatsoever”.
Anwar also called for an immediate halt to attacks that could threaten public areas or holy sites and urged all sides to pursue dialogue.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the reported attack, saying Pakistan and Saudi Arabia stood “unwaveringly, shoulder to shoulder”.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation also criticised the reported incident, saying any threat to the holy sites violated their “sanctity”.
Saudi Arabia Faces Wider Houthi Attacks
The reported drone incident comes as Saudi Arabia faces increasing pressure from Houthi attacks on its territory and infrastructure.
A key Saudi oil pipeline has reportedly remained shut for weeks following an earlier attack. The Houthis have also targeted shipping in the Red Sea and areas around the Bab el Mandeb Strait.
Yemeni government aligned forces have meanwhile targeted Houthi positions near Dhubab, north of the Bab el Mandeb, and on the al Kudhah front west of Taiz, according to Yemen’s information ministry and reports from the ground.
The Houthis later claimed that they had shot down an F 15 fighter jet belonging to the Saudi led coalition over Yemen’s Marib province. The claim was not independently verified.
New Defence Pact Yet to Become Operational
The escalation is also testing a new defence agreement involving Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan. Officials from Turkiye and Pakistan told The Associated Press that Saudi Arabia had not requested military support following the latest Houthi attacks.
A Turkish official said efforts to “institutionalise” the alliance were still continuing before it could become fully operational.
The United States has also indicated that it does not want to become directly involved in the conflict. US President Donald Trump said the Houthis had contacted Washington and “don’t want to fight with us”.
Vice President JD Vance said the US remained in contact with Saudi Arabia and had also held direct discussions with the Houthis.
Iran and Hormuz Add to Pressure
The wider regional crisis is also affecting energy markets. Oil prices remain above $100 a barrel as fighting and disruptions continue around the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was in China, where Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for restraint and urged the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. China also expressed concern about the spread of fighting into Yemen and the Red Sea.
