Saudi Arabia says Houthi drone intercepted near Makkah

Saudi Arabia’s military coalition has said its air defence systems intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone that attempted to enter restricted airspace around Makkah.

According to the coalition, the drone was detected and brought down before it could enter the prohibited airspace surrounding the holy city.

The coalition stressed that protecting Islam’s two holiest mosques remains a “red line” and warned that necessary measures would be taken against the Houthis to safeguard the sites and Saudi territory.

Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki said the incident marked the second reported attempt by the Houthis to target Makkah. He referred to an earlier incident in July 2017, when a ballistic missile was reportedly launched towards the holy city.

The latest incident comes amid heightened security concerns across parts of Saudi Arabia. On Tuesday night, warning sirens were activated in the cities of Jazan, Abha and Khamis Mushait following reports of potential attacks. The alerts were later withdrawn after the immediate threat had passed.

A day earlier, Houthi forces launched multiple ballistic missiles and drone attacks towards Saudi Arabia, according to Saudi authorities. The attacks reportedly injured 13 civilians.