Saudi Arabia says drone downed before reaching Mecca airspace

Saudi Arabia says its air defences intercepted and destroyed a drone launched from Yemen toward Mecca before it could enter the holy city’s restricted airspace, escalating tensions with the Iran-aligned Houthi movement.

Turki al-Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, said the drone was detected and destroyed south of Mecca on Tuesday evening (September 15).

He said the safety of worshippers, residents and pilgrims in the holy city was a “red line” and warned that necessary measures would be taken against the Houthis.

The Houthis, however, denied targeting Mecca. A Houthi military source told Yemen’s Saba news agency that Yemen posed no threat to Mecca or any other Islamic holy site and dismissed the Saudi account as misinformation.

Saudi authorities had issued a warning of a possible threat in Mecca shortly before the reported interception, later lifting it within minutes. Similar alerts were issued in Jeddah and Taif.

Saudi and international media reported that it was the first such alert in Mecca in nearly a decade.

The incident comes amid renewed hostilities between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. The Saudi-led coalition said Houthi attacks earlier this month targeted facilities in several Saudi cities, including Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif, injuring 13 people and damaging homes and vehicles.

The Houthis said their operations were directed at military targets in response to Saudi attacks.

Saudi Arabia also cited a 2017 incident in which it said a Houthi ballistic missile was intercepted while heading toward Mecca. The Houthis denied targeting the holy city then as well.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned attacks in the Mecca and Medina regions and expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia.

Source: Al Jazeera