Saudi Arabia reports interception of Houthi drone targeting Mecca
Houthis deny targeting the region of the Muslim holy city as hostilities continue to escalate.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has reported that it intercepted a drone launched by the Houthis towards Saudi Arabia’s Mecca region.
The drone was “intercepted and destroyed” on Friday morning, coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said in a social media post. It was also reported that a missile aimed at western Saudi Arabia was earlier brought down, as hostilities between the Riyadh-backed Yemen government and Iran-backed Houthis continue to escalate.
A Houthi spokesperson denied targeting the Muslim holy city or surrounding region, reiterating that the group’s cross-border attacks remain strictly focused on Saudi energy and military infrastructure.
On Thursday, the Saudi-led coalition said it destroyed a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis towards the kingdom’s eastern region. It later said two ballistic missiles launched towards the Saudi capital, Riyadh, were also intercepted and destroyed.