Saudi coalition says Houthi drone destroyed near Mecca
- On Tuesday, Saudi-led coalition air defenses intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered prohibited airspace over the holy city.
- Recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including Monday's air base strike, preceded the drone interception as part of a campaign the group described as retaliation for Yemen air strikes.
- Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki called the security of Islam's two holiest sites a "red line," identifying this as the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca. A Houthi military source denied the group posed any threat to holy sites.
- Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo, where both leaders confirmed their "shared commitment to ensuring freedom and security of maritime navigation" in the Red Sea.
- Houthi control of Yemen's Red Sea coast threatens Saudi oil exports and global energy markets, risking shipping passage through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical maritime choke point.
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311 Articles
Saudi Arabia calls an attempted Mecca attack a 'red line' as Iran-backed Houthis deny they did it
Muslim nations are condemning an attempted drone attack on Mecca as Saudi Arabia says that Islam's holiest city is a “red line” for the kingdom. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen have been attacking Saudi Arabia and its shipping…
Saudi Arabia calls an attempted Mecca attack a ‘red line’ as Iran-backed Houthis deny they did it
CAIRO (AP) — Saudi Arabia accused Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels overnight of trying to attack Islam’s holiest city, prompting condemnation from countries in the region but no sign of military support. The kingdom, a key U.S. ally, declared Mecca a…
For Muslims, Mecca is sacred. Now the Huthi militia is said to have attacked the city with a drone - this was reported by the Saudi Arabian military, which was able to ward off the attack according to its own statements. Riyadh speaks of a "red line".
The Yemeni Hutus launched a drone towards Makkah, but Saudi air defences hit him, as described by Brigadier-General Turki Al-Maliki, a representative of the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia, said it happened the previous day, around 18:50 local time.
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