RIYADH (The Thursday Times) — Saudi air defences intercepted a Houthi drone south of Makkah before it could enter the holy city’s restricted airspace, as a widening regional conflict brings a new security threat close to Islam’s holiest site.
Saudi Arabia’s air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Makkah on Tuesday evening, Saudi authorities said, in an incident that brought the latest escalation in the region close to Islam’s holiest city.
The drone was destroyed before it entered prohibited airspace over Makkah , according to Major General Turki al-Malki, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.
The interception took place at about 6.50pm on Tuesday, 15 September, according to Saudi authorities.
Al-Malki described the security of Makkah and Islam’s holy sites as a “red line”, signalling the seriousness with which Riyadh views any threat approaching the city.
The coalition said the incident represented the second Houthi attempt to target Makkah, pointing to a ballistic missile launch in July 2017. Houthi officials have denied targeting Mecca or threatening Islamic holy sites.
The incident comes amid a sharp escalation in Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and growing instability across the region. Recent attacks have also affected Saudi energy infrastructure, adding pressure to global oil markets and raising concerns about shipping routes through the Red Sea and the Gulf.
Makkah, home to the Grand Mosque and the Kaaba, receives millions of Muslim pilgrims from around the world for Hajj and Umrah. Its security carries significance far beyond Saudi Arabia’s borders.
