Saudi Arabia warns of ‘red line’ after Houthi drone intercepted near Mecca
Saudi Arabia says its air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone that was attempting to fly over the holy city of Mecca, as fighting between the kingdom and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement intensifies and raises concern that the conflict could spread further across the Middle East. The Saudi-led military... The post Saudi Arabia warns of ‘red line’ after Houthi drone intercepted near Mecca appeared first on Lesotho Times.
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Saudi Arabia says its air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone that was attempting to fly over the holy city of Mecca, as fighting between the kingdom and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement intensifies and raises concern that the conflict could spread further across the Middle East.
The Saudi-led military coalition said the security of Mecca, home to Islam’s holiest site, was a ‘red line’ and that the kingdom would take measures it considered necessary to protect the city. The Houthis rejected the Saudi allegation that they had targeted Mecca, describing the claim as false.
The incident comes amid a sharp escalation after recent Houthi territorial gains in Yemen. The group said Saudi aircraft had carried out intensive strikes across Yemen this week and also claimed to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet. Saudi authorities had not publicly confirmed that claim at the time of the source report.
The Houthis have taken control of parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline overlooking the Bab al-Mandab strait, a strategically important route for global shipping, as well as islands in the waterway. The developments have heightened concern about oil exports and commercial shipping at a time when other regional routes are already under pressure.
Saudi Arabia issued security alerts in parts of the country this week as Houthi projectiles continued to trigger alarms in southern and western cities. The renewed conflict has also affected energy infrastructure. An attack blamed on Iran-aligned fighters in Iraq last week damaged Saudi Arabia’s east-west pipeline, an important route for exports seeking to avoid the Strait of Hormuz.
International reaction to the reported drone incident was swift. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and said Pakistan stood with Saudi Arabia. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which represents 57 Muslim-majority countries, also condemned the reported targeting of Mecca and expressed support for the kingdom.
Pakistan and Turkey are parties to a defence arrangement with Saudi Arabia agreed in August, under which an attack against one member is regarded as an attack against all. However, ministers from both countries said Riyadh had not requested their assistance over the latest escalation and indicated that further work was needed to make the arrangement fully operational.
Saudi Arabia has led a coalition fighting the Houthis since 2015. Hostilities had eased under a ceasefire in recent years but intensified again after the Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in July and renewed attacks on the kingdom.
The United States has signalled that it does not want to become directly involved in the renewed Saudi-Houthi fighting. Washington has, however, tightened travel guidance for Saudi Arabia, restricting US government employees from travelling within 20 miles of the Yemen border.
Source: The Guardian.
The post Saudi Arabia warns of ‘red line’ after Houthi drone intercepted near Mecca appeared first on Lesotho Times.
