Houthi rebels reject Saudi claim of drone attack near Mecca

Yemen’s Houthi movement on Wednesday rejected Saudi Arabia’s claim that it launched a drone towards Mecca, calling the allegation “fabrications and lies” and saying its operations target Saudi military and oil facilities away from Islamic holy sites.

In a statement posted on Telegram, Houthi military spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree accused Saudi Arabia of attempting to mislead the public and denied that the group posed a threat to Islam’s holy sites.

Saree said Houthi operations were directed at Saudi oil facilities and military bases “which are far removed from the sacred sites”.

The statement came a day after the Saudi-led coalition said its air defences had intercepted and destroyed a drone south of Mecca before it entered prohibited airspace around the holy city.

Coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Malki described the incident as a “hostile and terrorist act” and said the security of the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims was a “red line”.

Al-Malki said Tuesday’s incident was the second alleged attempt to target Mecca, referring to a ballistic missile launch in July 2017.

Rejecting Riyadh’s account, Saree alleged that Saudi aircraft had carried out more than 450 airstrikes across several Yemeni provinces over the past week.

He said the strikes involved F-15 and Typhoon aircraft operating from Khamis Mushait and Taif, and claimed they had caused civilian casualties. These claims have not been independently verified.

Saree also claimed that Houthi forces had shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Marib using a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile.

He further claimed that Houthi forces carried out a defensive operation against two Saudi formations of F-15 and Typhoon aircraft that were searching for the wreckage, forcing them to retreat. These claims have also not been independently verified.

The Houthi spokesperson said the group would continue defending Yemen’s airspace and sovereignty.

The exchange comes amid a sharp escalation in fighting between Saudi-backed forces and the Houthis, against the backdrop of the wider West Asia conflict.

The Houthis have carried out attacks against Saudi military and energy infrastructure and targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea and around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, raising further concerns over security along the strategically important maritime route.

Saudi Arabia has intensified air operations against Houthi positions as the group has expanded its military activity and made territorial gains in parts of Yemen.

The latest allegations and counter-allegations have further escalated tensions between Riyadh and the Iran-aligned Houthis.