{"id":62216,"date":"2026-09-15T22:46:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T02:46:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/saudi-arabia-intercepts-houthi-drone-near-mecca-military-says\/15\/09\/2026\/"},"modified":"2026-09-15T22:46:22","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T02:46:22","slug":"saudi-arabia-intercepts-houthi-drone-near-mecca-military-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/saudi-arabia-intercepts-houthi-drone-near-mecca-military-says\/15\/09\/2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Saudi Arabia intercepts Houthi drone near Mecca, military says"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Saudi air defences intercepted a drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi militia near Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, the Saudi-led military coalition said early on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The unmanned aircraft was destroyed south of the city, according to coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki, who described the attempted attack in a post on X as a “disgraceful act.”<\/p>\n
Authorities in Mecca had issued an alert on Tuesday, urging residents to remain calm and follow official instructions.<\/p>\n
It was the first time an alert had been issued in the pilgrimage city since the latest escalation in the conflict with the Houthis.<\/p>\n
According to al-Maliki, it was the first Houthi attempt to attack Mecca since 2017, when the group tried to target the city with a ballistic missile.<\/p>\n
The Iran-aligned Houthis have stepped up attacks on neighbouring Saudi Arabia amid a renewed escalation of the war in Yemen.<\/p>\n
Saudi Arabia supports Yemen’s internationally recognized government and has carried out airstrikes against the Houthis as part of the Saudi-led military coalition.<\/p>\n
The kingdom has also come under attack from Iraq. Iran-backed Shiite militias are suspected of being behind those attacks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n