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Saudi Arabia Intercepts Houthi Drone Near Mecca
Confirmed
In Short: Saudi Arabia has intercepted a drone launched by the Houthis near Mecca, escalating tensions in the region.
Saudi Arabia has intercepted a drone launched by the Houthis near Mecca, according to reports from Al Jazeera. The Saudi-led coalition spokesperson, Turki al-Maliki, confirmed that the Royal Saudi Air Defence Forces intercepted the hostile drone before it entered restricted airspace on Tuesday evening.
The incident prompted a security alert in Mecca, the first since 2017, and similar alerts were issued for Taif and Jeddah. Saudi Arabia's coalition spokesperson stated that they will respond firmly to Houthi strikes, which have injured 13 people in several Saudi cities.
The Houthis have denied targeting Mecca and other holy sites, with a military source rejecting the claim that they pose a threat to these areas. The latest attacks mark a resurgence in a conflict that began in 2015, when Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen after the Houthis seized Sanaa.
A UN-brokered truce in 2022 largely halted Houthi attacks on Saudi territory, but hostilities have escalated again, with the group declaring a blockade on Saudi shipping and gaining control of critical nodes on the Bab al-Mandeb coastline.
What's confirmed
- Saudi Arabia has intercepted a drone launched by the Houthis near Mecca, according to reports from Al Jazeera. The Saudi-led coalition spokesperson, Turki al-Maliki, confirmed that the Royal Saudi Air Defence Forces intercepted the hostile drone before it entered restricted airspace on Tuesday evening.
- The incident prompted a security alert in Mecca, the first since 2017, and similar alerts were issued for Taif and Jeddah. Saudi Arabia's coalition spokesperson stated that they will respond firmly to Houthi strikes, which have injured 13 people in several Saudi cities.
- The Houthis have denied targeting Mecca and other holy sites, with a military source rejecting the claim that they pose a threat to these areas. The latest attacks mark a resurgence in a conflict that began in 2015, when Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen after the Houthis seized Sanaa.
- A UN-brokered truce in 2022 largely halted Houthi attacks on Saudi territory, but hostilities have escalated again, with the group declaring a blockade on Saudi shipping and gaining control of critical nodes on the Bab al-Mandeb coastline.
What's still developing
- “We categorically deny that there is any threat from Yemen directed at the city of Mecca or any other holy sites,” the source said, condemning what he described as “misinformation”.
- In early September, the Iran-aligned group launched missiles and drones at sites across Saudi Arabia, marking a drastic escalation in the fighting.
- The alert of potential danger in Mecca was swiftly lifted after a few minutes.