The Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen said early Wednesday that Saudi Royal Air Defence Forces had intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by the Houthis on Tuesday evening before it entered Makkah’s restricted airspace, while the group denied targeting the city. Coalition spokesman Major General Turki Al-Malki said the drone was intercepted south of Makkah.
Coalition announces second attempt to target Makkah
He said the incident was the second attempt to target the city, following the launch of a ballistic missile by the Houthis on 27 July 2017, according to his account. Al-Malki said the security of the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims was a “red line,” stressing that the coalition’s Joint Forces Command would not hesitate to take what he called the necessary and deterrent measures against the Houthi group.
Hizam Al-Asad, a member of the political office of Ansar Allah (the Houthis), rejected the Saudi account, saying that “claims of targeting Makkah are a previously used-up lie.” The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned what it described as attacks by the Houthi group on Makkah and the Madinah region, saying they terrorised civilians, violated the sanctity of holy sites and provoked Muslims’ feelings.
Alerts and warnings follow missile attacks
The Saudi Civil Defence issued warnings on Tuesday of a possible danger in the regions of Makkah, Taif, Jeddah, Abha, Jazan, Khamis Mushait and AlUla. The alerts followed attacks that the coalition said the Houthis carried out on Monday with ballistic missiles and a drone, targeting Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif.
The Houthis have recently announced attacks on areas in Saudi Arabia, including oil facilities in the kingdom’s south bordering Yemen, amid Gulf and Arab condemnations.
