Saudi claims Houthi drone destroyed near Mecca, Yemeni group dismisses 'lies'

This attack follows a week of attacks from the Yemeni militant group, which have drawn Saudi Arabia deeper into the war.

Saudi Arabia has warned the Houthis of a “red line” after a drone was shot down and destroyed near Mecca. A spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen stated that the Houthi drone was destroyed before it entered the prohibited airspace over the holy city.

Mecca is home to some of the holiest sites in Islam and the focal point of the annual hajj pilgrimage, and its security was a "red line," the coalition added in the statement. (REUTERS/Repreentational)

The drone, intercepted on Tuesday evening, was the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca after a ballistic missile launch in July 2017, spokesperson Turki al-Malki said in a statement, as reported by news agency Reuters.

This attack follows a week of attacks from the Yemeni militant group, which have drawn Saudi Arabia deeper into the war.

Mecca is home to some of the holiest sites in Islam and the focal point of the annual hajj pilgrimage, and its security was a "red line," the coalition added in the statement.

Houthis dismiss ‘worn-out lie'

"The claims about targeting Mecca are a worn-out lie that has been used before and no longer fools anyone," Hazem al-Assad from the Houthis' politburo wrote on X.

Saudi-Houthi conflict escalates

While the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-aligned Houthi group dates back to the 2014 civil war, the recent attacks on Riyadh has brought more tensions to the West Asia region, where the United States remains embroiled in a war with Iran and Israel with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Saudi Arabia has led a coalition battling the Houthis since 2015. While the conflict had largely quietened under a ceasefire brokered by the United Nations, the recent attacks mark the first grave escalation since the ceasefire collapsed in October 2022.

The Houthis have seized control of parts of Yemen's Red Sea coast overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb, which is one of the world's most important shipping straits, after the Strait of Hormuz.

This Houthi blockade has threatened Saudi Arabia's oil exports amid the blockade of the Hormuz strait.

In the past week, the Yemeni militant group has carried out several attacks on Saudi Arabia, including targeting its military bases. As per the Houthis, these attacks on Saudi are in retaliation to airstrikes in Yemen.