Royal Saudi Air Defence Forces intercepted and destroyed a Houthi-launched drone south of the Grand Mosque in Mecca at 18:50 local time on Tuesday.
- A drone was intercepted near Mecca by Saudi forces on Tuesday.
- Falling debris in Taif killed one person and injured two others.
- Several countries condemned the attack while regional tensions rise.
Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki condemned the act as a disgraceful and terrorist effort, emphasizing the security of the Two Holy Mosques as a red line. While Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea denied the allegations and claimed their operations target only oil and military facilities,
debris from the intercepted drone struck the Taif governorate on Thursday. Saudi Civil Defence confirmed the falling fragments killed a Yemeni resident and injured a Saudi woman and a Pakistani national, the latter of whom is in critical condition; the incident also resulted in damage to vehicles and buildings.
The United Arab Emirates Foreign Ministry issued a strong condemnation of the attempted targeting of Makkah, pledging full solidarity with Riyadh. Oman also denounced the act as treacherous, while Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, Syria, the Arab League, Al-Azhar, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation expressed support for Saudi Arabia. Iran questioned the validity of the attribution, warning against potential false-flag operations.
The escalation follows the Houthi seizure of Mocha port and islands near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, prompting a surge in Saudi airstrikes on Taiz, Marib, and Hodeidah, with Houthi sources claiming 40 F-15 sorties in a 24-hour period. UAE diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash stated that Abu Dhabi would balance defensive measures with ongoing dialogue with Iran. U.S. President Trump is expected to discuss the regional conflict with GCC leaders at the upcoming UN General Assembly.
