Saudi Arabia intercepted a drone headed toward Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, and blamed Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis for the attack, which the group denied.
Turki al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led Coalition Forces, said it was the first time Mecca had been targeted since a ballistic missile attack was intercepted in 2017.
“This hostile attempt will also remain a black mark in the record of violations by the extremist terrorist Houthi militia, as a deliberate act intended to provoke the feelings of millions of Muslims,” Al-Maliki said on X. He vowed to take “necessary and deterrent measures” in response.
Houthi political bureau member Mohammed al-Farah rejected the Saudi accusation, calling it “an outright lie” in comments carried by the Houthi-run SABA news agency. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said early Wednesday that the group was attacking Saudi oil facilities and military bases “far removed from the holy places.”
Mecca, the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, is the destination for the Hajj pilgrimage. Muslims who are physically and financially able are required to make the pilgrimage at least once in their lives, and millions travel to the city each year.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a 57-member organization representing 1.5 billion Muslims, condemned the attempted attack. The OIC said such strikes “violate the sanctity of holy sites and mosques” and “instill fear in innocent civilians.”
Saudi Arabia has faced a series of Houthi attacks in recent days. Earlier this week, ballistic missiles and drones targeted Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif, leaving 13 civilians injured. On Sunday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack on a Saudi military base.
Meanwhile, the group has been seizing positions along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including the city of Mokha last week, and is seeking control of the Bab el Mandeb Strait. The waterway provides an alternative route for transporting oil as the US-Iran conflict has complicated passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
