New Delhi, Sept. 16 -- India on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the alleged drone attack near Mecca in Saudi Arabia and called for an early restoration of peace and stability in West Asia. The statement came after Saudi authorities said a drone launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels towards Mecca was intercepted and destroyed before it could enter the restricted airspace around the holy city on Tuesday evening. The Houthis have denied the allegation, saying they do not pose a threat to Mecca or other Islamic holy sites.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the incident was particularly concerning because of Mecca's significance to Muslims across the world. India also reiterated its opposition to attacks on Saudi Arabia's sovereign territory and any actions that put civilian lives and critical infrastructure at risk. "We hope for the early restoration of peace and stability in the region," Jaiswal said while responding to the reported incident. Saudi Arabia's air-defence forces said they intercepted the hostile drone south of Mecca. A spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition warned that the security of the two holy mosques and pilgrims was a "red line".
Saudi authorities briefly placed Mecca under a security alert on Tuesday. The alert was lifted within minutes. The incident marked the first such security alert for the city since the Houthis last attempted to target the holy city in 2017. The Houthis have strongly rejected Saudi Arabia's account. A Houthi military source said the group did not pose any threat to Mecca or other holy sites and denied that the attack was directed towards the city. The latest development comes amid a renewed escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthi movement. The conflict dates back to 2015, when Saudi Arabia intervened militarily in Yemen after Houthi forces seized Sanaa and ousted the internationally recognised government.
India has recently raised concerns over Houthi attacks on Saudi territory and economic infrastructure. New Delhi had earlier condemned attacks on merchant shipping and civilian infrastructure amid the wider West Asia conflict, warning that strikes against Saudi economic assets could undermine regional stability and navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The issue of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia was also discussed during a meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit on September 13. India had also condemned recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Aramco energy facilities that reportedly injured 73 people. The Houthis have additionally targeted Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline, leading to its temporary closure and affecting a route responsible for a significant share of global oil supply. The latest incident near Mecca has added to concerns over the widening regional conflict, with India stressing the need to protect civilians and infrastructure and restore peace and stability in West Asia.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.