Saudi Arabia accuses Houthi rebels of launching a drone toward Mecca

The Saudi-led military coalition on Wednesday accused Yemen’s Houthi group of launching a drone toward the holy city of Mecca. According to Saudi authorities, air defenses intercepted and destroyed the drone on Tuesday before it entered the city’s restricted airspace, in the area south of Mecca. No casualties or damage were reported.

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels denied the accusation. Hazm al-Assad, one of the group’s leaders, called the report “a lie” and denied that Mecca had been targeted.

The incident prompted Saudi authorities to issue an air alert for Mecca on Tuesday morning, an unprecedented measure for the city that hosts millions of pilgrims every year. The coalition said that the security of the two holy mosques represents “a red line.”

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned the attack, saying it undermines the sacred nature of the holy sites and the feelings of Muslims. On Wednesday, the United States Embassy advised American citizens to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia and avoid the area along the border with Yemen.

Tensions have intensified after the Houthi rebels launched several attacks on Saudi Arabia and seized control of a Yemeni coastal area on the Red Sea, near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The developments have contributed to rising oil prices.