Saudi-Led Coalition Says It Destroyed Houthi Drone Before Mecca’s Restricted Airspace

The Saudi-led coalition’s spokesman, Turki al-Maliki, said air defenses intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi forces before it entered Mecca’s restricted airspace. The Houthis denied targeting the city and called the accusation fabricated.

The coalition’s account places the interception outside Mecca’s restricted airspace, saying the aircraft was stopped before it could enter the zone. It identified the Houthis as responsible for the launch; the Houthis rejected the allegation that they targeted the city. The account describes a drone stopped short of the city, not a strike inside Mecca.

The Houthis control significant parts of western Yemen and are aligned with Iran. Saudi authorities attributed a ballistic missile launch toward Mecca in 2017 to the group, an earlier allegation involving the same city. The current episode is the second alleged Houthi attempt to target Mecca. The earlier allegation involved a missile; the current one concerns an unmanned aircraft. The coalition said the drone was stopped before it entered the restricted zone.