New Delhi, Sept. 16 -- Saudi Arabia briefly issued an aerial threat alert for Mecca, Jeddah and Taif after its air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca. The alert marked the first time an air-raid warning had been issued for the holy city, amid a sharp escalation in attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The drone was intercepted before it could enter the restricted airspace over Mecca, according to Saudi authorities. The incident came as the Houthis intensified missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia, with several areas along the country's western coast placed on temporary alert.
The development has heightened security concerns around Mecca, one of Islam's holiest cities that attracts millions of pilgrims each year. Air traffic bound for Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina was also reportedly halted amid the heightened security situation. The latest alert followed a Houthi attack a day earlier in which ballistic missiles and drones reportedly wounded 13 people in Saudi Arabia. The group has carried out its heaviest attacks against the kingdom in years, with strikes also targeting oil-related facilities. The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis condemned the reported attempt near Mecca. Turki Al Maliki, spokesperson for the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, said the security of the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims was a "red line" and warned that necessary measures would be taken to deter further attacks. The Houthis, however, denied that they had targeted Mecca. Hazem al-Assad, a member of the group's political bureau, rejected Riyadh's account and described the claim that the drone was headed towards the holy city as false.
The escalation comes amid renewed fighting between Houthi forces and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. The conflict intensified after the Houthis declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia and began targeting vessels in the Red Sea. The group has also claimed responsibility for attacks involving ballistic missiles and drones against Saudi military positions. It said its campaign would continue and intensify as long as Saudi Arabia continued what it described as aggression against Yemen. The widening conflict has raised concerns over the security of the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a major global shipping route. Qatar has warned that any closure of the strait could have catastrophic consequences for the global economy. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has rejected a request from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for American intervention in the conflict. The developments have left Saudi Arabia facing growing pressure to determine its response as Houthi attacks intensify.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.