Saudi Arabia issues first wartime alert for Mecca as Houthi threat expands

Saudi Arabia has issued its first wartime alert for Mecca as the Houthis' threats expand, according to the latest report from Reuters. The security warnings, which also cover Jeddah and Taif, were lifted shortly after authorities declared the danger had passed. However, Saudi officials have not confirmed any incoming projectiles or the nature of the threat.

The alerts mark a significant escalation in the conflict, as the Houthis have seized territory along Yemen's western Red Sea coast and moved closer to the Bab el-Mandeb, one of the world's most crucial shipping straits. Saudi Arabia's air defenses later intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca, according to a spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthis.

The warnings are the broadest since the conflict intensified last week, as the Houthis have targeted Saudi interests, including a recent attack on an air base. The advance along the Red Sea coast poses a new threat to Saudi oil exports, with the pipeline disrupted by the broader war. Brent crude futures rose above $108 a barrel, while U.S. retail diesel prices hit a record high.

The United Nations Security Council discussed the crisis, urging the council to prevent Iran from aiding the Houthis, which Washington claims breaches UN arms embargoes. Saudi Arabia has led a coalition battling the Houthis since 2015, but renewed fighting threatens global energy supplies as the Houthis' presence near the Bab el-Mandeb could impact alternative oil export routes.