Mecca, Saudi Arabia | Saudi authorities said a Houthi drone was destroyed south of Mecca, while the group rejected the allegation.
Saudi Says Houthi Drone Intercepted Near Mecca Amid Alert
Saudi Arabia has accused Yemen’s Houthi movement of launching a drone towards Mecca, saying its air-defence forces intercepted and destroyed the aircraft before it entered restricted airspace over Islam’s holiest city.
Security warnings were briefly activated in Mecca and parts of Saudi Arabia’s western region, including Jeddah and Taif. The warning involving Mecca reportedly remained active for only a few minutes before authorities announced that the potential danger had passed. The incident caused concern because Mecca houses the Grand Mosque and Kaaba and receives millions of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims every year.
Saudi coalition calls Mecca security a red line
Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki said the drone was intercepted south of Mecca on Tuesday evening. He described the security of the holy sites and pilgrims as a “red line” and warned that the coalition would take measures to deter further attacks.
Al-Malki accused the Houthis of trying to provoke Muslims and create fear among worshippers. According to the coalition, the incident was the second known attempt by the group to target Mecca after an alleged ballistic-missile launch in July 2017.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned the reported drone launch, arguing that attacks threatening holy sites and civilians represented a dangerous escalation. Saudi Arabia has not reported casualties or damage from the intercepted drone.
Houthi officials reject Saudi allegation
The Houthis denied launching an attack against Mecca or any other Islamic holy site. Houthi official Hazem al-Assad dismissed the accusation as a repeated and misleading claim, while a military source quoted by Yemen’s SABA news agency said there was no threat from Yemen directed at Mecca.
Although the group rejected responsibility for the alleged Mecca operation, it has claimed other recent attacks inside Saudi Arabia. Missile and drone strikes targeting Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif injured 13 civilians and damaged homes and vehicles, according to the Saudi-led coalition.
The conflicting accounts could not be independently confirmed. Saudi officials maintain that the intercepted aircraft originated from Houthi-controlled territory, while the movement says Riyadh is using the accusation to influence Muslim public opinion.
Mecca alert highlights renewed conflict
The incident follows a sharp escalation after nearly four years of relative calm under the UN-brokered truce reached in 2022. Renewed Saudi strikes in Yemen and Houthi attacks against Saudi cities, military installations and infrastructure have raised fears of a wider confrontation.
The Houthis have also expanded their presence along Yemen’s Red Sea coast near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most important maritime routes. Any sustained fighting around the waterway could threaten commercial shipping and Saudi oil exports.
The United States has maintained a Level 3 advisory urging citizens to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia because of armed conflict, terrorism and the risk of drone and missile attacks on American interests. It separately advises against travel near the Yemen border.
Regional tensions raise security concerns
Saudi authorities have promised a firm response to attacks on populated areas, but a renewed military campaign risks further destabilising Yemen and the wider Red Sea region. The possibility of strikes near Mecca is particularly sensitive because of the city’s religious importance to Muslims worldwide.
Officials have not announced restrictions on pilgrimages following the alert. Security agencies are nevertheless expected to maintain heightened surveillance around Mecca, Jeddah, Taif and other western Saudi cities as Riyadh assesses the threat of additional missile or drone launches.
