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 has accused the Iran-backed Houthis of attempting a drone attack on Mecca, the holiest city in Islam and a site of pilgrimage for Muslims worldwide. Colonel Turki Al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition forces in Yemen, stated that the Houthis launched a drone toward Mecca on Tuesday evening, but it was intercepted by Saudi Air Defense Forces before entering the city’s restricted airspace.
Riyadh has warned that the security of the Two Holy Mosques and the pilgrims is a red line and that the Saudi-led coalition will take necessary and deterrent measures against the Houthis. The Houthis have denied the allegation, accusing Saudi Arabia of spreading false accusations and stating that their operations target oil facilities and military bases, not the holy sites.
The incident comes amid a widening regional crisis, with Houthi advances along Yemen’s Red Sea coast threatening shipping and energy supplies.
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