Houthi bid to target Makkah as ‘disgraceful crime’: King Salman

Incident comes as missile and drone attacks intensify across the region.

Jeddah: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has condemned an alleged Houthi attempt to target Makkah, calling it a “disgraceful crime” and a violation of the sanctity of Islamic holy sites.

Chairing a Cabinet meeting in Jeddah on Tuesday, September 22, King Salman said the attempt had provoked Muslims around the world. He also praised Saudi military and security personnel for defending the holy sites and protecting pilgrims, citizens and residents.

The remarks came after Saudi authorities on Wednesday, September 16, said they intercepted and destroyed a drone launched towards Makkah on Tuesday, September 15. The Saudi-led coalition said the drone was brought down south of the holy city before entering its restricted airspace.

The coalition accused Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia of launching the drone and described the incident as its second reported attempt to target Makkah. The first involved a ballistic missile launched towards the holy city in July 2017.

The Houthis rejected the Saudi account, describing the claim that a drone was heading towards Makkah as a “lie”.

The incident was followed by further Houthi attacks against Saudi territory. On Sunday, September 19, coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Malki said Saudi air defence forces intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired towards Riyadh.

He also said attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure in Baish, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu had been thwarted. Earlier, Houthi missile and drone attacks in southern Saudi Arabia wounded 13 civilians, according to the coalition.

In a separate incident, debris from an intercepted Houthi drone fell in Taif, killing a Yemeni resident and injuring two others.

The escalation has drawn international concern. G7 foreign ministers on Monday, September 21, condemned continued Houthi military operations and attacks against Saudi Arabia and called on Iran to end its support and arming of the group.

The latest attacks come amid wider regional tensions and concerns over the security of shipping and energy supplies.

On August 7, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, under which an armed attack against any of the three countries is treated as an attack against all members.