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Saudi Arabia warns of ‘red line’ after Houthi drone intercepted close to holy city of Mecca
The Guardian • • world
Key Points:
- Saudi Arabia’s air defenses intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered the holy city’s prohibited airspace, according to the Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen.
- Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki emphasized that the security of Islam’s two holiest sites, including Mecca, is a “red line” and vowed to take necessary deterrent measures against the Houthis.
- This incident marks the second reported Houthi attempt to target Mecca, following a ballistic missile launch in July 2017, although a Houthi official denied the recent claims, calling them “worn-out lies.”
- The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned the attack on Mecca, attributing it to the Houthis and criticizing the ongoing aggression against Saudi Arabia.
- The escalation follows a week of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes on an airbase, amid the group’s control of parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coast near critical shipping routes, threatening Saudi oil exports.
