Saudi coalition says Houthi drone destroyed near Mecca
Saudi officials said the drone was destroyed before it reached prohibited airspace, and 13 civilians were wounded in separate Houthi attacks this week.
- 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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331 Articles
The Toronto Star
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…
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 “red line” as it slid deeper into the new front of the Iran war.
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".
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