Houthis report Saudi strikes as Riyadh accuses them of targeting Mecca

RIYADH: Yemen's Houthis reported fresh Saudi airstrikes on Wednesday, while Riyadh accused the group of launching a "cowardly" attack targeting Islam's holy city of Mecca. The Houthis denied Saudi's claims as a "lie," sparking outrage from around the Muslim world. Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry condemned the targeting of Mecca, emphasizing the kingdom's right to defend itself and its holy sites.

Houthi politburo member Hazem al-Assad dismissed the accusation as a "worn-out lie." In Mecca, residents reported seeing people panic upon receiving alerts of an attack, but life continued normally. Saudi Arabia vowed retaliation, stating that the security of the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims is a red line, and the coalition would take necessary measures against the terrorist Houthi militia.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed that Saudi warplanes conducted 40 airstrikes on Taiz, Marib, and Hodeidah in the past 24 hours. The group also stated they had targeted a Saudi air base and a state oil company facility in Yanbu, and claimed to have shot down a Saudi fighter jet. Saudi Arabia had issued alerts on Tuesday warning of possible attacks in Mecca and the south.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League chief condemned the attacks, while governments in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Pakistan voiced their outrage. Yemen's civil war remains dormant, but fighting flared in July when the Houthis launched a large-scale offensive against government forces. The conflict has displaced over 100,000 people, according to the UN.

Yemen's permanent representative at the UN called on the international community to act against the Houthis, while clashes near the Saudi border show government forces fighting Houthi fighters for control of Al-Labanat camp, which would clear the path to Al-Hazm, the capital of the Al-Jawf governorate.