RIYADH – The Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces intercepted and destroyed a drone that was reportedly heading toward the prohibited airspace surrounding the holy city of Makkah Al-Mukarramah, according to the spokesperson for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen.
Coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Malki said the incident occurred at approximately 6:50 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15. According to the statement, the drone was launched by the Houthi militia and was intercepted south of Makkah before it could enter the city’s prohibited airspace.
Al-Malki described the incident as the second reported attempt to target Makkah Al-Mukarramah, following what the statement identified as a ballistic missile attempt on July 27, 2017.
The coalition spokesperson strongly condemned the reported drone launch, saying that an attack directed toward the vicinity of Makkah represents a serious threat because of the city’s religious significance and the presence of pilgrims and residents.
The statement said the reported incident was viewed as an attempt to endanger pilgrims visiting the Holy Mosque as well as citizens and residents in the area.
Al-Malki further said that protecting the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims remains a priority and that the coalition’s Joint Forces Command would take what it described as necessary measures in response to hostile actions attributed to the Houthi militia.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on Wednesday condemned the Houthis’ “heinous” attack on Islam’s holy city Makkah, which the rebel group has denied.
“The General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemns the heinous attacks carried out by the Houthi group against the city of Makkah and the Madinah region, as well as its ongoing aggression against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the OIC said in a statement posted on X.
On the other hand, Houthi official rejected Saudi claim of an attack on Makkah a ‘lie’.
