Saudi Arabia says it shot down Houthi drone near Mecca, Houthis deny claim

Mecca Drone Attack: Riyadh says the drone was intercepted south of Mecca before entering restricted airspace, while the Houthis deny targeting the holy city as fighting with Saudi-backed forces intensifies

Riyadh says the drone was intercepted south of Mecca before entering restricted airspace, while the Houthis deny targeting the holy city as fighting with Saudi-backed forces intensifies

Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca on Tuesday, before it could enter the restricted airspace over Islam's holiest city. The Iran-aligned Yemeni group denied targeting Mecca or any religious site during the ongoing conflict.

Saudi-led coalition spokesman Maj Gen Turki al-Malki said the drone was intercepted at about 6:50 pm local time on September 15, Reuters reported. He described the security of Mecca and the two holy mosques as a “red line” and warned of measures to deter further attacks.

The Iran-backed militant group rejected the claim. Houthi spokesperson Hazem al-Assad wrote on X: “The claims about targeting Mecca are a worn-out lie that has been used before and no longer fools anyone.”

The Saudi claim comes amid a sharp deterioration in relations with the Houthis after years of relative calm. It said the latest incident was the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca, following a ballistic missile launch in 2017 that Riyadh said was aimed at the holy city.

Mecca, home to Islam’s holiest shrines, is the focal point of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam that draws millions of Muslims each year.