Arab Parliament condemns Houthi drone attack attempt on Makkah

India voiced strong disapproval on Wednesday following a Houthi drone attempt near the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, urging a swift reestablishment of regional peace. Saudi officials reported that a Houthi-launched drone was intercepted and destroyed on Tuesday evening, just before it breached Mecca's restricted airspace. This comes after India had expressed grave concern over the Houthi assaults on Saudi civilian and economic establishments the previous day, warning that such strikes jeopardize regional stability and maritime freedom through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conversed about the current situation in West Asia with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on the sidelines of the BRICS summit on Sunday. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal of India's Ministry of External Affairs declared on Wednesday: "We are deeply troubled by the drone attack near Makkah.

India once again condemns attacks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's sovereign territory and actions endangering civilian lives and infrastructure." The Houthi drone strike on Makkah is seen as a significant escalation in tensions in West Asia, particularly after the Houthis executed a series of attacks on Saudi Arabia. The drone was neutralized prior to entering Mecca's prohibited airspace, according to Saudi authorities.

However, the Houthis denied targeting Mecca or any Islamic holy site. Earlier, the Houthis had targeted Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline, a vital conduit for crude oil exports, which has become a crucial alternative route for Saudi crude shipments since the Iran-facilitated conflict disrupted the Strait of Hormuz. The External Affairs Ministry spokesperson stated on Tuesday that the Houthi issue was also broached during the Jaishankar-Saudi Foreign Minister meeting.

"We have strongly condemned the attack on Saudi sovereign territory, encompassing civilian infrastructure and economic assets," he affirmed. "Such assaults undermine regional stability and threaten freedom of navigation through the Bab-el-Mandeb. We hope for early restoration of peace and stability in the region. In any case, we continue to receive energy supplies from that region," Jaiswal added.