Tensions have escalated between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi rebels after Riyadh accused the group of targeting the holy city of Mecca with a drone, prompting a warning that attacks threatening the city or Muslim pilgrims would cross a “red line.”
The Saudi-led coalition said on Wednesday that it had intercepted a drone heading towards Mecca, a city that attracts millions of Muslims annually for pilgrimage.
The Houthis swiftly denied the allegation, with a member of the group’s politburo, Hazem al-Assad, describing the Saudi claim as a “lie.”
“The claims about targeting Mecca are a worn-out lie that has been used before and no longer fools anyone,” al-Assad wrote on X.
Saudi Arabia, however, maintained its position and warned that it would respond to any threat against the holy sites.
“The security of the Two Holy Mosques and the pilgrims is a red line,” the Saudi-led coalition said, adding that it “will not hesitate to take the necessary and deterrent measures against the Terrorist Houthi Militia.”
The accusations came amid renewed fighting between the Iran-backed Houthis and Yemen’s Saudi-backed government. The rebels have also declared a maritime blockade on Saudi vessels in the Red Sea.
Saudi authorities had issued brief alerts on Tuesday warning of possible attacks in Mecca and parts of the country’s south.
Residents in Mecca described moments of concern following the alerts, although one resident told AFP that normal life had continued in the city.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which represents 57 Muslim countries, condemned what it described as “heinous attacks” against Mecca and the Madinah region.
The renewed conflict has also heightened concerns over maritime security in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key shipping route linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
The United Nations said the latest fighting has forced about 82,000 people to flee their homes since the beginning of September.
The escalation has further complicated regional tensions, with Saudi Arabia and Egypt calling for the protection and freedom of maritime navigation through both Bab al-Mandab and the Strait of Hormuz.
