Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before the aircraft entered the prohibited airspace over Islam’s holiest city.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi group in Yemen noted that the drone was intercepted on September 15. The incident represented a second attempt by the Houthis to target Mecca. The first incident cited by the coalition involved a ballistic missile launched towards the city in July 2017.
The security of Mecca, the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims would be treated as a red line. The coalition also warned that necessary deterrent measures would be taken against further Houthi attacks. Mecca is the focal point of the annual Hajj pilgrimage and holds major religious significance for Muslims worldwide.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has condemned the incident and expressed support for Saudi Arabia amid what the organisation described as continuing attacks against the kingdom. The response reflects the wider sensitivity surrounding any threat involving Islam’s holy sites.
Saudi authorities issued security alerts across several areas on September 15. Mecca was among the locations covered by the warnings along with other cities. The alerts came after a series of attacks by Iran-aligned Houthi fighters that have drawn Saudi Arabia further into the wider Middle East conflict.
The United States also urges Americans to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia because of risks including Iranian drone and missile attacks, armed conflict and terrorism. The US advisory also warns against travel to the Yemen border because of the threat of terrorism.
The latest escalation comes as the Houthis have taken control of parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coast near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait. The position threatens Saudi oil shipments that have been rerouted towards the Red Sea because of disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz.
The Houthis also announced attacks on Saudi targets including an airbase. The group remarked that some strikes were retaliation for Saudi airstrikes in Yemen. The latest escalation heightens security concerns across Saudi Arabia and added to tensions along vital regional shipping and energy routes.
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