Riyadh, Sept 2026 : Saudi Arabia said its air defence forces intercepted and destroyed a drone south of Mecca before it could enter the holy city's restricted airspace, as tensions between Riyadh and Yemen's Houthi movement continued to rise.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said the drone was travelling towards Mecca, Islam's holiest city. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned the reported incident, describing it as a “heinous” attack and expressing solidarity with Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis, however, rejected the Saudi account. Houthi official Hazem al-Assad dismissed the claim that the drone was heading towards Mecca as a “worn-out lie”.
The reported interception followed temporary alerts issued by Saudi Civil Defence across several cities along the western coast, including Mecca, Jeddah and Taif. The alerts were later lifted after authorities said the immediate threat had passed.
Reports indicated that an aerial threat warning was issued in Mecca for the first time. Saudi Civil Defence urged residents to follow official safety instructions, avoid gatherings and refrain from filming during the security situation.
The alerts came a day after Houthi forces reportedly wounded 13 people in Saudi Arabia in an attack involving ballistic missiles and drones launched from Yemen.
The Saudi-led coalition described the latest drone incident as the second reported attempt to target Mecca. Saudi officials have previously linked another missile launch to an alleged attempt to strike the holy city, although the Houthis have rejected such claims.
The latest developments have unfolded amid renewed fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. Houthi forces reportedly carried out a major missile and drone attack against Saudi Arabia this week, with some strikes causing damage to oil facilities and leaving dozens of people injured.
On Monday, a Houthi strike in western Yemen reportedly killed eight government soldiers, according to military sources. The Houthis also claimed responsibility for an attack involving ballistic missiles and drones targeting King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait in southern Saudi Arabia.
The renewed escalation has raised concerns over the security of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world's important maritime corridors linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Any disruption to shipping through the strategic waterway could have wider implications for international trade and energy supplies.
Qatar has warned that a potential closure of the Bab al-Mandab Strait could have serious consequences for global commerce, adding to concerns over the impact of growing regional tensions on maritime traffic.
The situation also comes against the backdrop of wider diplomatic and military tensions in the region. US President Donald Trump has said he rejected a request from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to intervene in the conflict.
Saudi Arabia is now assessing the security implications of the latest Houthi attacks as tensions continue to spread across the region. The reported targeting of areas near Mecca has further heightened concerns, given the city's religious significance and the restrictions surrounding its airspace.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
