Makkah: Saudi Arabia’s Royal Air Defense Forces intercepted and destroyed a drone south of Makkah at around 6:50 p.m. on September 15, before it entered the prohibited airspace over the holy city, according to Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Malki.
The Saudi-led coalition attributed the drone to Yemen’s Houthis and described the incident as an attempted targeting of Makkah. Al-Malki said the security of the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims was a “red line.”
The Houthis, however, denied targeting Makkah or religious sites, according to Reuters. This distinction is important: Saudi authorities attribute the drone and its intended target to the Houthis, while the group disputes that Makkah itself was the target.
