HOUTHIS DENY TARGETING MECCA AS SAUDI ARABIA VOWS RETALIATION
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Agency Report
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have denied targeting Islam’s holy city of Mecca after Saudi Arabia accused the group of launching a drone towards the city.
Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday that its air defences intercepted and destroyed a drone allegedly heading towards Mecca, prompting outrage across the Muslim world.
However, a member of the Houthi politburo, Hazem al-Assad, dismissed the allegation as a “worn-out lie” in a post on X.
“The claims about targeting Mecca are a worn-out lie that has been used before and no longer fools anyone,” al-Assad said.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis warned that it would take retaliatory measures, stressing that the safety of the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims remained a “red line.”
“The coalition will not hesitate to take the necessary and deterrent measures against the Terrorist Houthi Militia,” it said.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, a bloc comprising 57 Muslim countries, condemned what it described as “heinous attacks” against Mecca and the Madinah region.
Residents in Mecca described moments of panic following security alerts over possible attacks, although one resident told AFP that life had returned to normal.
“I think the alarm system creates panic… Life is normal in Mecca, and there have been previous incidents in Mecca, so this isn’t the first one,” the resident said.
A second resident expressed shock over the reported incident, saying, “Aren’t they Muslims? They’re targeting the holiest city. What’s inside to target?”
The development comes amid renewed fighting between the Houthis and Yemen’s Saudi-backed government, with the conflict threatening to further destabilise maritime traffic in the Red Sea.
The Houthis have claimed control of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a strategic waterway linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and a major route for international shipping.
The group has also declared a maritime blockade against Saudi-linked vessels, while Saudi Arabia and Egypt have called for the protection of freedom of navigation through Bab al-Mandab and the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest escalation has revived Yemen’s civil war, which had remained largely dormant since 2022.
According to the United Nations, the renewed fighting has forced about 82,000 people to flee their homes since the beginning of September.
Yemen’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Abdullah al-Saadi, has called on the international community to take action against the Houthis, saying the government was fighting to restore national institutions across the country.
The conflict is also raising concerns over global trade and energy supplies, as disruptions around Bab al-Mandab could affect shipping through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
Qatar warned on Tuesday that a closure of the Bab al-Mandab Strait would have “catastrophic” consequences for the global economy.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has continued retaliatory strikes against Houthi positions, while the Houthis claimed on Wednesday that they had shot down a Saudi fighter jet.
A US military task force is also working to improve intelligence-sharing and planning assistance for Saudi forces, according to a US official cited by AFP.
AFP
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