Saudi Arabia’s air defences destroyed a Houthi drone south of Makkah before it could enter prohibited airspace over the holy city, a spokesperson for the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen said Wednesday.
Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki said the drone was intercepted on Tuesday evening and described the security of Makkah and the safety of pilgrims as a “red line.”
The incident comes amid a sharp increase in attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group against Saudi Arabia, adding a highly sensitive dimension to the widening regional conflict.
Houthis deny targeting Makkah
According to al-Malki, the latest incident marked the second alleged attempt by the Houthis to target Makkah. The coalition previously said a ballistic missile was launched toward the holy city in July 2017.
Houthi officials denied targeting Makkah. Mohammed al-Farah, a member of the group’s political bureau, called the Saudi allegation “an outright lie” in comments carried by the Houthi-run SABA news agency.
Saudi authorities issued security alerts for Makkah on Tuesday as concerns grew over the potential threat to the holy city, which is home to the Grand Mosque and the Kaaba.
Rising attacks put Saudi Arabia on alert
The latest incident follows several Houthi attacks announced over the past week. The group said it targeted an air base on Monday in retaliation for Saudi-led airstrikes on Yemen. Coalition officials said the attack wounded 13 civilians.
Saudi Arabia has also blamed a separate pro-Iranian movement based in Iraq for an attack on Friday that disrupted the East-West Pipeline, one of the kingdom’s key oil transport routes.
Yemen’s Houthis reach strategic island at mouth of vital shipping lane
The 1,200-kilometre pipeline connects Saudi Arabia’s oil-producing region on the Gulf with the Red Sea and has become increasingly important as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted by the conflict.
Traders have warned that a prolonged shutdown of the pipeline could remove as much as 4% of global oil supply from the market. Saudi Arabia has not announced when operations will resume, although US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Tuesday that crude could begin flowing again within days.
Conflict threatens regional security and energy supplies
Saudi Arabia has led a coalition fighting the Houthis since 2015. The conflict had largely subsided under a ceasefire in recent years but intensified again this month after Houthi forces pushed back fighters aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
The escalation has also increased pressure on Saudi Arabia as the wider regional conflict disrupts major energy and shipping routes.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with US President Donald Trump last week to seek military support. So far, the support has reportedly been limited to intelligence assistance.
