Saudi Arabia reported that its air defenses successfully intercepted a Houthi drone near Mecca on Tuesday, an action deemed a serious escalation in the ongoing conflict. The military spokesperson, Col. Turki al-Maliki, referred to this drone intrusion as a “hostile and terrorist attack” carried out by the “terrorist Houthi militia.”
Al-Maliki accused the Houthis of attempting to strike “the birthplace of revelation, the land of the message, and a destination that draws millions of Muslims from across the globe.” He emphasized, “The security of the Two Holy Mosques and the pilgrims is a red line,” referencing both the Mecca and Medina mosques.
The drone strike was condemned by Pakistan and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which consists of 57 Muslim nations. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the incident a “dastardly and heinous attempted drone attack” and expressed deep sorrow over what he termed an outrageous act.
Sharif remarked, “The people of Pakistan are saddened and perturbed by this deplorable incident. There are no words strong enough to convey the anguish we feel.” He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia in defending its sovereignty and the sanctity of the Haramain Sharifain—referring to the holy mosques in Mecca and Medina.
The OIC labeled the Houthi assault as “heinous” and stated it was designed to “instill fear in innocent civilians, violate the sanctity of holy sites, and provoke the sentiments of Muslims globally.” The OIC’s General Secretariat condemned the Houthis for actions contrary to Islamic values and international law.
Air defense alerts were raised in Mecca for the first time in nearly ten years, with the last similar incident occurring in July 2017 when a Houthi missile was intercepted. On Monday, the alerts were more severe, issued by an upgraded defense system.
The only other modern threat to Mecca was in 1979 when armed militants occupied the Grand Mosque for two weeks to protest against the Saudi royal family. Mecca houses the Kaaba, the most sacred site in Islam, where Muslims direct their prayers.
Muslims are encouraged to undertake the pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca at least once, and in the past year, around 1.7 million pilgrims participated. Another pilgrimage, known as Umrah, attracted over 11 million visitors in September and October last year.
The Saudi government is particularly protective of the holy cities, and they often react strongly to any criticism regarding their handling of the influx of visitors during Hajj. The title “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques” is granted to the king of Saudi Arabia, emphasizing this responsibility.
In the past, Saudi Arabia has been criticized for restricting access to Mecca due to political tensions, particularly with Iran. Conversely, Saudi Arabia has accused the Houthi rebels in Yemen of trying to disrupt the Hajj with missile attacks amid previous conflicts.
Houthi officials denied launching a drone towards Mecca, labeling the claims as a “worn-out lie.” They emphasized that there is no threat from Yemen aimed at Mecca or any other holy sites.
According to reports, Turkish and Pakistani officials indicated that Saudi Arabia has not yet activated the mutual defense clause from the trilateral agreement signed in August, known as the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement.
This agreement would obligate Turkey and Pakistan to assist Saudi Arabia if attacked; however, officials noted that Saudi Arabia has not made such a request for help. A Turkish official mentioned that the agreement had not yet been “institutionalized,” implying it might not be fully operational should Riyadh require assistance.
A senior Turkish official stated that ongoing Houthi attacks do not indicate failure of the Mecca agreement as the mutual defense clauses are not yet legally effective, with necessary military structures still pending. The Turkish parliament is expected to start ratifying the treaty’s elements by late October, but only the Saudi monarchy holds the authority to declare its part of the agreement.
He added that what was established is more than just a security alliance; it’s essentially an international organization that will reveal its thoroughness once the foundational treaty is disclosed.
On Wednesday, the exchanges of fire continued, with the Houthis claiming they executed further drone and missile strikes against Saudi oil facilities and maintained that they shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet while capturing vehicles from Saudi-aligned forces who retreated in a recent Houthi advance along the Red Sea coast.
