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Saudi coalition says Houthi drone destroyed near Mecca
Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed a drone Tuesday before it entered airspace over Mecca, Islam's holiest city about 1,100 kilometers from Yemen's border.
In a lightning offensive last week, the Houthis seized Yemen's entire Red Sea coast and the Bab el-Mandeb strait, displacing 82,000 people since September.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree denied firing drones toward Mecca, claiming "our operations target oil facilities and military bases," while accusing Saudi Arabia of launching 450 strikes.
Vice President J.D. Vance said Monday Washington maintained "constant contact" with Saudis and held "direct conversations with the Houthis themselves," calling efforts "a very fluid and dynamic thing."
Qatar warned Tuesday that closure of the Bab el-Mandeb would be "catastrophic for the entire world," as the strait remains vital to Saudi crude exports and European cargo routes.