Saudi King Condemns Alleged Houthi Targeting of Mecca

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has condemned what he described as the “heinous” targeting of the holy city of Mecca by Yemen’s Houthi movement.

Speaking during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, King Salman described the Houthis as a “terrorist militia” and accused them of repeatedly targeting the holy city, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

The Saudi monarch said the alleged targeting of Mecca was a serious provocation against Muslims around the world. He also praised Saudi Arabia’s military and security forces for protecting the kingdom, its holy sites, pilgrims, citizens and residents.

Last week, Saudi authorities said they intercepted a drone launched towards Mecca. The Houthis denied the accusation, with Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi describing the Saudi claim as a “heinous lie”.

The reported incident triggered the first security alert in Mecca in nearly 10 years.

Rising Houthi Attacks

The latest development comes amid an escalation in Houthi missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi cities, energy infrastructure and shipping routes.

On Saturday, Saudi-led coalition forces said they intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards Riyadh. The incident reportedly caused a column of smoke to rise from a fuel storage area near King Khalid International Airport.

The escalation has increased concerns over regional security and global energy supplies, particularly as the Houthis have expanded their control along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.

Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan also signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement last month, under which an armed attack against one of the three countries is treated as an attack against all members.

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