Saudi Arabia accuses Houthis of attacking Mecca, warns holy city is a ‘red line’

Key Points:

• Saudi Arabia accused Iran-backed Houthi rebels of attempting a drone attack near Mecca, declaring the holy city a “red line” and warning of strong retaliatory measures, though the Houthis denied targeting Mecca and claimed their strikes were on military and oil infrastructure.
• The conflict has intensified with the Houthis advancing on the ground in Yemen and conducting aerial attacks on Saudi Arabia, disrupting key oil pipelines and threatening vital shipping routes, contributing to rising global oil prices.
• The U.S. raised its travel advisory for Saudi Arabia to Level 3 amid escalating hostilities, advising Americans to reconsider travel and restricting government travel near the Yemen border, while President Trump indicated no immediate U.S. military intervention plans.
• The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting to address the violence in Yemen, with calls for de-escalation as the conflict has displaced over 125,000 people since early September.
• Regional allies like Pakistan condemned the alleged attack on Mecca and reiterated support for Saudi Arabia, highlighting concerns over the expanding conflict’s impact on regional stability and global energy supplies.