Saudi Arabia: Riyadh accuses Houthi rebels of drone attack toward Mecca

RIYADH, 16 September /ATSH-AFP/ – The Saudi-led military coalition today accused Yemen’s Houthi rebels of carrying out a drone attack toward the holy city of Mecca.

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels immediately denied the charge.

According to the Saudi coalition, air defences yesterday destroyed a “hostile drone” launched by the Houthi rebels before it could enter the airspace over Mecca.

The interception, according to the authorities, occurred south of the city.

“The security of the two holy mosques and their visitors is a red line,” the coalition declared, referring to the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned what it described as “vile attacks”, saying that any attack on the holy sites violates their sanctity and hurts the feelings of Muslims around the world.

The Houthi rebels, allies of Iran and adherents of a branch of Shiite Islam, have expanded their control in Yemen.

Last week they took control of part of the Yemeni coastline along the Red Sea, strengthening their positions near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait.

The escalation of tensions in the region has also affected energy markets.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, traded today at around $108.5 a barrel in early Asian trading, roughly 80% higher than the level before the war began in late February.

The Houthi rebels, who have stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabia since the start of September, denied having struck Mecca.

One of their officials, Hazm al-Assad, described the accusation as “an old lie”, while military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group’s operations target oil facilities and military bases, far from the holy sites.

Saudi authorities issued an air raid alert for Mecca yesterday morning, an unusual measure for the city that every year hosts millions of pilgrims from different countries.

The incident has raised concerns about further spread of the conflict in the region and the risk to the security of one of Islam’s most important holy sites.