{
  "id": 19737133,
  "title": "Fighting intensifies in Yemen as Houthis deny targeting Mecca",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/fighting-intensifies-in-yemen-as-houthis-deny-targeting-mecca",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-13T01:18:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Chronicle Ghana",
    "slug": "the-chronicle-ghana",
    "url": "https://thechronicle.com.gh/fighting-intensifies-in-yemen-as-houthis-deny-targeting-mecca/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Yemen’s Houthi rebels have rejected Saudi accusations that they attacked Mecca, the Islamic holy city, amidst escalating violence in the ongoing war between the internationally recognized government and the Iran-backed Houthis. On Wednesday, a Houthi spokesperson denied the Saudi claim, labeling it a \"lie,\" stating instead that a drone was launched towards Yanbu on the Red Sea and that Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport was hit by three cruise missiles. Earlier, the Saudi-led coalition announced they had intercepted three cruise missiles aimed at Riyadh, along with drones targeted at Mecca and the southern regions of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Arabian Civil Defence Authority reported that debris from the downing of two ballistic missiles fell in the village of Sabuhah in Mecca province. Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence Authority warned that \"this hostile targeting of civilian objects constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and reflects the dangerous hostile approach pursued by the Houthi militia.\" The Houthis have been engaged in intensified fighting within Yemen, with at least 138 of their fighters killed or wounded in hundreds of targeted attacks, according to Majed Abdullah al-Nuzaili, spokesperson for Yemen's army. The Saudi-backed forces retaliated with 773 field artillery attacks, 44 drone strikes, and 37 rocket attacks in the governorates of al-Jawf, Marib, al-Bayda, and Taiz. Saudi-led coalition forces also executed 23 air strikes, damaging 86 heavy weapons and military vehicles. Despite their territorial gains, Saudi-backed forces have been unable to halt Houthi attacks on Aden's al-Buraiqa district, where the internationally recognized government is headquartered.",
  "summary": "Yemen’s Houthis have rejected Saudi claims that they targeted Islam’s holiest city, Mecca, as casualties surge in the war between the internationally recognised government and the Iran-allied Houthis. A Houthi spokesperson on Wednesday denied what he called Saudi “lies” that the Iran-allied group had launched a drone towards Mecca, saying instead that a drone was […] The post Fighting intensifies…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "WHO reports almost 12,000 casualties in renewed Yemen fighting",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/11/who-reports-almost-12-000-casualties-in-renewed-yemen-fighting",
        "published": "2026-11-11T18:41:59.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Fighting intensifies in Yemen as Houthis deny targeting Mecca",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/fighting-intensifies-in-yemen-as-houthis-deny-targeting-mecca",
        "published": "2026-11-12T04:41:17.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}