New Delhi, Sept 16 (NVI) The war in West Asia assumed a new dimension today as Saudi Arabia said the Islamic holy city of Mecca was attacked with drones by Yemen’s Houthi militia, who, however, denied the allegation.
For the first time in history, Saudi Arabai activated an aerial threat alert over the religious city.
Saudi Arabia said its military intercepted a Houthi drone before it could reach the holy city of Mecca.
The drone fired by the Houthis was intercepted at 6:50 pm Saudi time south of Mecca on Tuesday (local time), Saudi government said, warning the attack on Islam’s two holiest sites and on pilgrims was a “red line”.
It threatened to take necessary deterrent measures against the Houthis.
“The security of the Two Holy Mosques and the pilgrims is a red line, and the Joint Forces Command of the Coalition will not hesitate to take the necessary and deterrent measures against the Terrorist Houthi Militia,” the coalition said in a statement shared by spokesman Turki al-Maliki on X.
Houthi spokesperson Hazem al-Assad rejected the allegation of its involvement, writing on X: “The claims about targeting Mecca are a worn-out lie that has been used before and no longer fools anyone.”
The incident is likely to further stoke tensions between the two warring sides.
Last week, the Iran-backed Houthis seized control of the entirety of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital artery for Saudi oil exports.
Meanwhile, the US embassy issued an advisory for Americians, asking them to “reconsider travel” to Saudi Arabia and Yemen border.
The advisory warned of the “risk of Iranian drone and missile targeting of American interests, armed conflict, terrorism, exit bans and local laws regarding social media activity…. Do not travel to the Yemen border due to threat of terrorism.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which is a bloc of 57 Muslim countries, condemned “the heinous attacks launched by the Houthi group on the holy city of Mecca and the Medina region”, saying they were intended to “terrorise civilians, violate the sanctity of holy sites and mosques, and provoke the feelings of Muslims around the world”.
In a statement, the OIC General Secretariat said attacks on “holy sites, mosques and civilian objects constitute terrorism that contradicts Islamic values, international norms and laws”. It added that violating the sanctity of holy sites was “a transgression that cannot be accepted or tolerated” and required deterring those responsible.
The organisation expressed “full solidarity” with Saudi Arabia and support for measures taken by the kingdom to protect holy sites and civilians, as well as its security and sovereignty. (NVI)
