Saudi-Led Coalition Intercepts and Destroys Drone Targeted at Mecca

Royal Saudi Air Defence Forces successfully intercepted and destroyed an explosive drone launched by the Houthis toward the holy city of Mecca, marking a dangerous new escalation in the ongoing conflict.

According to Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki, the hostile drone was neutralized on Tuesday evening before it could breach restricted airspace. Al-Maliki strongly condemned the attack as a deliberate attempt to terrorize worshippers and endanger civilians, reiterating that the security of the holy mosques and pilgrims remains an absolute red line. Meanwhile, the Houthis have consistently denied targeting Mecca, with a military source telling Yemen’s SABA news agency that the group categorically rejects claims of posing any threat to Islamic holy sites.

In response to the aerial threat, Saudi Arabia issued a rare security alert in Mecca on Tuesday—the first such warning since a similar Houthi attempt in 2017. The alert was also briefly activated for Taif and Jeddah. This resurgence in hostilities follows a breakdown of the UN-brokered truce from April 2022, as the Iran-aligned group increased missile and drone launches across the kingdom, prompting the Saudi-led coalition to vow a firm response to strikes that recently injured civilians in Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Taif.