Saudi Arabia intercepts Houthi drone near Mecca
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Saudi Arabia’s air defenses intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered the holy city’s restricted airspace, a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said on Wednesday.
Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki said that the drone was intercepted on Tuesday evening and described the security of Islam’s holy sites and the safety of pilgrims as a “red line.”
The Houthis denied targeting Mecca. Mohammed al-Farah, a member of the group’s political bureau, called the Saudi allegation “an outright lie,” according to the Houthi-run SABA news agency.
According to al-Malki, the incident marked the second reported attempt by the Houthis to target Mecca, following a ballistic missile launch in July 2017 that Saudi Arabia said was aimed at the holy city.
The incident comes amid a sharp escalation in attacks involving Saudi Arabia and the Iran-aligned Houthis, after fighting in Yemen intensified in recent weeks. The Houthis claimed several attacks on Saudi targets, including a strike on an air base that Saudi-led coalition officials said wounded 13 civilians.
The escalation is also adding pressure to regional energy and shipping routes. Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut its 1,200-kilometer East-West oil pipeline after a drone attack, disrupting an important alternative route for exports as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains heavily restricted.
The pipeline carries roughly 4 percent of global oil supply, according to Reuters, while US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Tuesday that operations could resume within days.