World
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman slams targeting of Mecca by ‘terrorist’ Houthis
Saudi monarch's rare condemnation hints at sense of urgency in the kingdom amid ramped-up attacks from Yemen.
Al Jazeera•
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has branded Yemen’s armed Houthi movement a “terrorist militia” and accused the Iran-allied group of repeatedly targeting the holy city of Mecca.
The 90-year-old Saudi monarch made the comments during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
It was a rare sharp intervention in current affairs by the king, as most day-to-day affairs are led by his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
It was the first time in nearly 10 years that a security alert had been activated in Mecca, home to the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site.