Saudi Arabia shoots down a Houthi drone near Mecca, Islam’s holiest city

Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone near Mecca, Islam's holiest city, on Tuesday, prompting swift condemnation from the Iran-backed Yemeni rebel group. The Saudi-led Coalition Forces spokesperson, Turki al-Maliki, claimed it was the first time in almost a decade that the Houthis had targeted Mecca. However, the Houthis vehemently denied the claim, stating that their targets were Saudi oil facilities and military bases far from the sacred sites.

The Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree, emphasized that the false accusations from the "criminal Saudi regime" would not deceive anyone and that there is no threat from Yemen to the holy places. The incident occurred amid escalating tensions in the region, with the Houthis' recent advances and attacks on Saudi Arabia raising concerns about the potential for a wider conflict as the US-Iran war continues.