Saudi Arabia and its allies have accused Yemen’s Ansarullah Houthi movement of targeting Makkah with a drone — a claim the group strongly denies.
Saudi air defences say they intercepted and destroyed the drone south of Makkah on Tuesday evening before it entered restricted airspace around the holy city.
Spokesman Turki al-Malki said the drone was intercepted at around 6.50pm local time, with its wreckage falling south of Makkah.
Saudi Arabia blamed the Houthis for the incident and described it as the group’s second attempt to target Makkah, citing a ballistic missile incident in July 2017.
However, the Houthis categorically denied responsibility and accused Saudi Arabia of falsely portraying the group as a threat to Islam’s holiest city.
Hezam al-Asad, a senior member of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, said: “Claims of targeting Mecca are a nauseating lie that has been consumed before and no longer fools anyone.”
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree has also insisted that the group’s attacks against Saudi Arabia are directed at military and economic targets and remain “totally away from the holy sites.”
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Saudi allies react
Despite the dispute over responsibility, several Muslim-majority countries allied with Saudi Arabia expressed alarm over the incident and stressed that Makkah and Islam’s holy sites must be protected.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he viewed reports of the interception with “grave concern.”
“Any attempt to threaten the safety and sanctity of Islam’s holiest city would be wholly unacceptable,” he said.
Anwar praised the Saudi authorities for acting to protect residents and pilgrims but also called for restraint amid escalating regional tensions.
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“We urge the relevant parties to exercise restraint and pursue a peaceful resolution through dialogue without delay,” he said.
Malaysia also called for an immediate halt to attacks against civilian sites and any actions that could place holy sites in danger.
Pakistan issued a strongly worded condemnation, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif describing the incident as a “dastardly and heinous attempted drone attack” against Mecca.
Sharif praised Saudi forces for intercepting the drone and said Pakistan stood “shoulder to shoulder” with the kingdom in protecting its sovereignty and the sanctity of Mecca and Medina.
But he also called on all sides to exercise “maximum” restraint and avoid further escalation.
“Our region has already suffered far too much from conflict. Dialogue and diplomacy remain the only sustainable path towards peace,” he said.
Bangladesh also condemned the reported attack and stressed the importance of protecting Islam’s holy places.
Its Foreign Ministry said: “Bangladesh reaffirms its deep respect for the sanctity of Makkah Al-Mukarramah and the other Holy Sites in the Kingdom, and expresses solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its people in protecting those.”
It added: “Bangladesh underscores that the safety and security of the Holy Sites must be fully respected and protected at all times.”
Saudi-Houthi escalation
The latest incident comes amid a major Houthi offensive which has dramatically escalated the conflict with Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s internationally recognised government after several years of relative calm.
Since early September, Houthi forces have made significant advances along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, seizing the strategic port of Mocha and expanding their presence around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
They have also taken control of Mayyun Island in the strait and the Greater and Lesser Hanish islands further north, although competing battlefield claims remain difficult to independently verify.
At the same time, the Houthis have stepped up missile and drone attacks inside Saudi Arabia. On September 8, they announced a “large-scale” operation involving dozens of ballistic missiles and drones, saying they had targeted Saudi energy and military infrastructure.
Saudi authorities said attacks on Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jizan and Najran wounded at least 73 people and caused fires and temporary disruption at energy facilities.
The exchanges have intensified further in recent days. The Houthis say they fired dozens of missiles and drones at King Khalid Airbase near Khamis Mushait, while Saudi Arabia says subsequent attacks on Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif wounded another 13 civilians and damaged homes and vehicles.
Riyadh has responded with extensive air strikes across Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, while both sides accuse the other of endangering civilians.
The renewed war has already produced a major humanitarian impact. The UN humanitarian office said this week that around 125,000 people had been displaced since the beginning of September as fighting spread across the country.
