Saudi Arabia’s defense systems successfully intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone on September 15, just south of Mecca, as it approached restricted airspace over the city. This development was confirmed by the Saudi-led coalition, which stated that the move was crucial to protect the sacred site.
Turki al-Malki, a spokesperson for the coalition, emphasized the importance of the security of Mecca and Medina, referring to them as a “red line.” He warned that the coalition would take all necessary measures to prevent further threats from the Houthi forces, highlighting this incident as the second attempt to target Mecca, following a ballistic missile launched in 2017.
The Houthi group, however, has denied any involvement in the incident. Houthi spokesperson Hazem al-Assad rejected the claims made by Saudi Arabia, asserting that the group did not target the holy city of Mecca.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned the reported attack, reiterating its commitment to the protection of Mecca, Medina, and other Islamic holy sites. The incident comes amid a period of increased hostilities involving the Houthi forces and an elevated security alert across Saudi Arabia.
