Saudi Arabia Says Houthi Drone Intercepted Near Makkah, Warns of Further Action

Saudi Arabia said its air defence systems intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone near Makkah on Tuesday evening, amid rising tensions between Riyadh and the Iran-aligned Houthi movement.

Major General Turki Al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led Coalition Forces to Support Legitimacy in Yemen, said the incident marked the second reported attempt to target the holy city. He referred to a 2017 incident involving a ballistic missile that Saudi Arabia said was directed towards Makkah.

Al-Maliki warned that the coalition would take necessary measures to respond to any further attacks.
The Houthis, however, denied targeting Makkah, rejecting the Saudi account of the incident. The reported drone interception comes as tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have intensified.