Saudi Arabia issued a rare security alert in Mecca after air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of the holy city before it entered restricted airspace. Officials called the security of Islam’s holiest sites a red line, briefly activated alerts in Mecca, Taif and Jeddah, and vowed deterrent measures as regional tensions with the Iran-aligned group escalate again.
Saudi Arabia issued a security alert in Mecca after its air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of the holy city before it entered restricted airspace, Saudi officials said.
The incident marks a significant escalation in the conflict involving the Iran-aligned Houthi group and Saudi Arabia, with the kingdom warning that the security of Islam’s two holiest sites and pilgrims is a “red line”.
Al Jazeera reports that Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said the drone was intercepted on Tuesday evening before reaching the restricted airspace over Mecca. He described the incident as an attempt to frighten worshippers and harm civilians.
The security alert, activated in Mecca as well as Taif and Jeddah, was lifted within minutes. It was reportedly the first such alert in Mecca since 2017, when Saudi Arabia said a Houthi ballistic missile had been launched towards the holy city.
The Houthis have denied targeting Mecca or any other Islamic holy site. A Houthi military source described the Saudi claim as misinformation and said there was no threat from Yemen directed at Mecca.
According to The Guardian, the Saudi-led coalition described the intercepted drone as the second alleged Houthi attempt to target Mecca. Coalition spokesperson al-Malki said Saudi Arabia would take necessary deterrent measures following the incident.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned what it described as an attack on Islam’s holy city and blamed the Houthis, while Saudi Arabia has accused the group of carrying out attacks on civilian and economic sites across the kingdom.
The latest incident comes amid a renewed escalation in hostilities after a UN-brokered truce largely halted Houthi attacks on Saudi territory in 2022. The Houthis have launched several missile and drone attacks on Saudi targets in recent days.
Mecca is home to the Kaaba and receives millions of Muslim pilgrims throughout the year for Hajj and Umrah. Around 1.7 million Muslims performed Hajj in Saudi Arabia this year.
The US Embassy has also issued a travel advisory urging Americans to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia, citing risks including drone and missile attacks, armed conflict and terrorism.