Houthi Militia Official Denies Saudi Claim of Drone Targeting Makkah

RIYADH: A Houthi official has rejected as false Saudi Arabia’s claim that a drone launched by the group was intercepted while attempting to target Makkah Mukarramah.

According to Reuters, a Houthi official strongly denied the Saudi-led coalition’s account that Saudi air defences had shot down a drone before it entered restricted airspace over the holy city.

Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki said Saudi air-defence systems intercepted the drone on Tuesday as it attempted to enter the airspace over Makkah.

Speaking in the early hours of Wednesday, al-Malki said the security of the Two Holy Mosques and the safety of pilgrims were a “red line”.

He said the coalition would take measures to deter further attacks attributed to the Houthi militia.

Al-Malki described the incident as the second reported Houthi attempt to target Makkah, citing a previous ballistic missile launch toward the holy city in July 2017.

Houthi spokesperson Hazem al-Asad denied that the group had targeted Makkah.

In a post on X, al-Asad described the Saudi allegation as a repeated and false claim that, according to him, could no longer deceive the public.

The Houthi militia has repeatedly denied targeting holy sites in Saudi Arabia.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly condemned what it described as an attack against Makkah and attributed responsibility to the Houthi militia.

The 57-member organisation also condemned what it called continuing aggression against Saudi Arabia and expressed solidarity with the Kingdom.

The OIC said attacks threatening holy sites and civilian areas were unacceptable and called for measures to protect the sanctity of Islamic holy places.

Saudi authorities issued security alerts on Tuesday covering Makkah and other parts of the Kingdom amid heightened regional tensions.

The latest reports come as the security situation around Yemen and the Red Sea continues to deteriorate.

The Houthi militia controls parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline, including areas near the strategically important Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The waterway is one of the world’s key maritime trade routes, linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

Houthi attacks and threats in the region have raised concerns over international shipping, regional commerce and energy supplies.

The group has also announced several attacks against Saudi targets during the past week, including an attack on an air base on Monday that it said was carried out in response to Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen.