Saudi Arabia Calls Mecca a ‘Red Line’ After Alleged Houthi Drone Attack
The Houthis deny targeting the holy site as their Red Sea advances threaten oil supplies and widen a regional conflict shaped by the Iran war.
Saudi Arabia warned on Wednesday that Mecca, Islam's holiest city and a destination for Muslims worldwide, is a "red line" following an alleged attempted drone attack by the Iran-backed Houthis. Colonel Turki Al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition forces in Yemen, stated that the Houthis launched a drone towards Mecca on Tuesday evening, which was intercepted by the Saudi Air Defense Forces before entering the city's restricted airspace.
The Saudi-led coalition vowed to take necessary and deterrent measures against the Houthis. Riyadh recalled a similar incident from July 2017, where it accused the Houthis of targeting Mecca. The Houthis claimed they launched a missile towards the King Fahd air base in Taif, denying the allegation of targeting Mecca. The conflict between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemen government has been ongoing since 2014, but a confirmed attack on Mecca would be a significant escalation.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for restraint, urging dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the crisis. Meanwhile, the price of Brent crude oil rose above $100 per barrel due to the escalating conflict, with experts warning that the situation will worsen further.
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