Riyadh: Saudi Arabia briefly placed several areas along its western coast on aerial-threat alert, including the holy city of Mecca as well as the Jeddah and Taif governorates, after an alleged Houthi attack intensified concerns over the widening regional conflict.
The alert in Mecca was described as unprecedented, with reports stating that it was the first time the holy city had been placed under an aerial-threat warning. Saudi air defences reportedly intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it could enter the restricted airspace surrounding the city.
The Saudi civil defence authorities had earlier issued short-lived air-raid warnings across six regions as the kingdom faced repeated attacks attributed to Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement.
According to a report by Israeli newspaper Hayom, flights heading toward Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina were also temporarily halted.
The developments followed an attack a day earlier in which Houthi forces reportedly used ballistic missiles and drones against targets in Saudi Arabia, wounding 13 people. The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis condemned the attack as “heinous.”
Turki Al Maliki, identified as a spokesman for the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, said the security of the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims represented a “red line.” He added that the coalition would take necessary measures to deter further Houthi attacks.
Houthis Deny Targeting Mecca
The Houthi movement rejected Saudi Arabia’s account that a drone intercepted south of Mecca had been headed toward the holy city.
Hazem al-Assad, a member of the Houthi politburo, dismissed Riyadh’s allegation in a post on X, calling claims that the group had targeted Mecca a “worn-out lie” and saying such allegations had been made before.
The conflicting accounts could not independently establish whether the intercepted drone was actually intended for Mecca.
Fighting Intensifies Across Yemen and Saudi Arabia
The latest escalation comes amid a renewed confrontation between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. The Houthis have reportedly carried out their most extensive missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia in years, with strikes setting oil facilities ablaze and leaving 73 people wounded.
In western Yemen, a Houthi strike on Monday reportedly killed eight government soldiers, according to two military sources. The group also claimed responsibility for a large-scale operation involving “dozens of ballistic missiles and drones” aimed at King Khalid airbase in Khamis Mushait in southern Saudi Arabia.
The conflict between the Houthis and forces backed by Riyadh intensified again in July. The rebels subsequently announced a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia and began targeting Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea, raising concerns over one of the world’s key maritime routes.
Hazem al-Assad said the Houthi campaign would continue and escalate for as long as Saudi Arabia continued what the group described as aggression against the Yemeni people.
Red Sea Route Raises Regional Concerns
The escalation has also triggered warnings over the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a strategic maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
Qatar warned on Tuesday that any closure of the strait could have severe global consequences. Ibrahim Al Hashmi, a Qatari foreign ministry official, described such a move as “catastrophic for the entire world.”
The latest developments have consequently added pressure on Saudi Arabia’s leadership as it weighs its response to the Houthis’ advances and their growing threat to shipping through the Red Sea.
Trump Rejects Saudi Request
US President Donald Trump has rejected a request from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for American intervention in the conflict.
Trump said the Houthis had contacted Washington on Saturday and asked the United States not to become involved in the fighting.
The confrontation has now drawn renewed attention to the broader regional role of the Houthis, their relationship with Iran, Saudi Arabia’s support for Yemen’s internationally backed government, and the security of shipping through the Red Sea.
