The Saudi-led coalition announced the successful interception of a drone launched by the Houthis toward the Mecca region on Friday morning, according to coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki. The statement came as part of a broader pattern of reported cross-border attacks, including a missile strike on western Saudi Arabia that was also said to have been destroyed by air defenses.
A spokesperson for the Houthi movement rejected the coalition’s claims, stating that the group does not target Mecca or the surrounding area. The Houthi official emphasized that operations remain concentrated on Saudi energy facilities and military installations, characterizing the coalition’s accusations as fabrications by what they termed the Saudi regime.
The exchange represents an escalation in the ongoing conflict between the Riyadh-backed Yemen government and the Iran-backed Houthi forces. The coalition has previously made similar allegations regarding drone and missile attacks aimed at Islam’s two holiest cities. On Thursday, the coalition reported destroying additional ballistic missiles fired toward the kingdom’s eastern region and the capital of Riyadh.
Al-Malki confirmed on Friday that coalition air defenses had also intercepted a cruise missile targeting western Saudi Arabia. As hostilities continue without indication of subsiding, humanitarian organizations have expressed growing concern about the humanitarian toll on civilian populations affected by the conflict.
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