Riyadh, Sept 16: The Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces successfully shot down an explosive-laden drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels south of Mecca, Islam’s holiest city. The Saudi-led coalition stated that the drone was destroyed before it could enter Mecca’s restricted airspace. Strongly condemning the act, the Saudi military affirmed that the security of the holy sites of Mecca and Medina, as well as the safety of pilgrims, remains its top priority.
Destroyed before entering airspace: Saudi coalition spokesman Major General Turki Al-Maliki stated that the drone was detected south of Mecca on Tuesday evening and was immediately shot down by the air defense system, thereby averting a potential threat.
Stern warning from the Saudi coalition: Terming the attack a terrorist and hostile act, the Saudi coalition made it clear that it would not tolerate any attempt to attack holy sites and would not hesitate to take stringent preventive measures against the Houthis if necessary.
Second attempt since 2017: In July 2017, the Houthis had launched a ballistic missile towards Mecca. Saudi forces have stated that this is the second major attempt to target the holy city since that incident.
Counter-allegations by the Houthis: Meanwhile, Houthi rebels have denied the accusation of targeting Mecca. Instead, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree has alleged that Saudi Arabia’s F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets carried out 52 airstrikes within 24 hours on civilian areas in Yemen, including schools, bridges, and roads.
Threat to global oil and shipping: Iran-backed Houthis are attempting to seize control of areas along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait—a crucial maritime route connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden—and have continued their attacks on commercial cargo ships.
Iran-backed groups are also persistently targeting the East-West oil pipeline, which Saudi Arabia uses as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz; the recent drone attack near Mecca has further exacerbated security concerns across the entire Gulf region.