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Mecca drone attack foiled as Houthis claim 450 Saudi strikes: 6 updates
Saudi Arabia’s air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered prohibited airspace, according to a Saudi-led military coalition.
A drone was intercepted and destroyed south of Mecca by Saudi Arabia’s air defences before it entered prohibited airspace in Mecca premises, said a Saudi-led military coalition, news agency Reuters reported. Following the attack, Saudi Arabia issued security alerts in Mecca and other parts of the country.
Houthis accuse Saudi Arabia of 52 airstrikes in 24 hrs using F-15, Typhoon
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree, in a post on X, said Saudi warplanes carried out 52 airstrikes over 24 hours and over 450 attacks in the past week, using F-15 and Typhoon aircraft from Khamis Mushait and Taif airbases. He alleged that schools, bridges and roads in Taiz were among the targets, along with sites in Al-Jawf, Al-Bayda, Saada and Amran.
The developments come as the wider West Asia conflict expands into Yemen, increasing tensions around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis have also targeted commercial vessels in the maritime corridor, while Saudi-led coalition warnings over Mecca have further escalated rhetoric between Riyadh and the Houthi movement.
Here are the top developments as tensions grow between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis:
- 01What did Saudi Arabia say on purported drone attack on Mecca?Saudi Military Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki said the incident was the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca, following a reported ballistic missile launch in July 2017. He warned that the coalition would take necessary deterrent measures against the Iran-aligned group.
- 02What did the Houthi rebels group say on Saudi’s claim of foiling drone attack on Mecca?Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said a F-15 jet was downed over Marib using a locally made air-to-air missile. The Yemeni Armed Forces claimed Saudi warplanes carried out more than 450 airstrikes across seven provinces this week, causing civilian casualties. It said the strikes involved F-15 and Typhoon aircraft operating from Khamis Mushait and Taif airbases. In response, Yemen claimed it shot down a Saudi F-15 over Marib while it was conducting operations in support of Saudi military deployments. In a post shared on X, Yahya Saree denied Saudi claims that Yemen had targeted Mecca in a drone attack, saying its operations were aimed at oil facilities and military bases away from the holy sites. Reuters quoted a Houthi military source denying any threat to Mecca or any other Islamic holy sites.
- 03What did Pakistan say as a signatory of Mecca agreement with Saudi Arabia?Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attempted drone attack on the holy site of Makkah Al-Mukarramah, saying the people of Pakistan were “saddened and perturbed” by the incident. Sharif praised the Royal Saudi Armed Forces for their “vigilance, courage and professionalism” and said Pakistan stood with Saudi Arabia in defending its sovereignty and the security and sanctity of the Haramain Sharifain. He also urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, saying the region had suffered enough from conflict and that dialogue and diplomacy were the only sustainable path towards peace.
- 04Saudi Arabia seeks support from Egypt amid repeated attacksSaudi Arabia is seeking support from Egypt as Houthi attacks on its shipping and infrastructure intensify, contributing to a rise in global oil prices. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi as attacks threaten Saudi oil exports through the Red Sea. He met Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo on Tuesday.
The Iranian-backed group has captured more territory in Yemen and strengthened its ability to disrupt Saudi oil exports through the Red Sea. The threat to Saudi oil production grew after an attack damaged its biggest pipeline.
- 05Egypt’s Sissi reaffirm support to Saudi Arabia for Red Sea securitySaudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo, with both leaders reaffirming their commitment to the freedom and security of maritime navigation in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Sissi’s office expressed Egypt’s “unwavering” support for Saudi Arabia. No details were given on possible future action, while Egypt’s influence in the Arab world and its ties with various regional parties could help rally diplomatic support for the kingdom.
- 06Houthi gains raise threat to Saudi shipping through Bab el-MandebHouthi fighters have seized the Red Sea port of Mokha and three strategic islands in and around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The gains have strengthened the Houthis’ ability to disrupt Saudi shipping, which they have targeted since late July. The strait links the Red Sea with the open ocean and provides a key route for Saudi oil exports to Asian markets. Saudi Arabia has so far appeared reluctant to launch a major military campaign, amid concerns over further attacks on its oil infrastructure and being drawn back into Yemen’s civil war.