Saudi Arabia said it shot down a Houthi drone on the outskirts of Islam’s holiest city Mecca on Tuesday –– prompting swift regional condemnation of the Iran-backed Yemeni rebel group.
It’s the first time that the Houthis have targeted Mecca in almost a decade, since a ballistic missile attack was intercepted in 2017, according to Turki al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led Coalition Forces. Houthi officials quickly denied targeting Mecca, Reuters reported.
The rebel group’s swift advance in Yemen and attacks on neighboring Saudi Arabia in recent weeks have put the Gulf Arab kingdom in a increasing difficult position, facing the prospect of being drawn into a wider conflict, as the US-Iran war drags on.
Mecca is the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad. All Muslims worldwide are required to make the pilgrimage to the holy city at least once in their life, with millions making the journey each year.
“This hostile attempt will also remain a black mark in the record of violations by the extremist terrorist Houthi militia, as a deliberate act intended to provoke the feelings of millions of Muslims,” Al-Maliki said in a post on X, vowing to take the “necessary and deterrent measures” against the militants.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a 57-member body representing 1.5 billion Muslims, also condemned the attack, saying the attempted strikes “violate the sanctity of holy sites and mosques” and “instill fear in innocent civilians.”
