Saudi Arabia has accused Yemen’s Houthi authorities of launching an attack towards Mecca, warning that any threat to the Islamic holy city and the safety of pilgrims would cross a “red line.” The Houthis, however, have rejected the allegation, describing Riyadh’s claim that it intercepted a drone heading towards Mecca as false.
The accusation comes amid renewed fighting between the Iran-backed Houthi authorities and Yemen’s Saudi-backed internationally recognised government. Saudi Arabia has warned that it will take what it described as necessary measures in response to threats against the Two Holy Mosques. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, a bloc of 57 Muslim countries, also condemned what it described as attacks against Mecca and the Madinah region.
The latest escalation has raised wider concerns over security in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a major maritime route linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Saudi Arabia and Egypt have called for the protection of maritime navigation, while Qatar warned that any closure of the waterway could have serious consequences for global trade.
The conflict has also contributed to renewed displacement in Yemen, with the United Nations reporting that about 82,000 people have fled their homes since the beginning of September. The renewed hostilities come after years of relative calm in Yemen, with the latest fighting further increasing regional security and humanitarian concerns.
