Houthis Accused of Targeting Mecca as Saudi Coalition Destroys Incoming Drone

The Saudi-led coalition has accused the Houthi rebels of attempting to target the holy city of Mecca, Islam's holiest site and focal point of the hajj pilgrimage.

The coalition said its air defenses destroyed an incoming Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered prohibited airspace over the city, marking the second attempt by the Houthis to target the city after a ballistic missile launch in 2017.

Hazem al-Assad, a senior member of the Houthi group, denied targeting Mecca, calling the allegation an 'outright lie' that has been used before and no longer fools anyone.

The latest flare-up follows a dramatic escalation in fighting between the Houthis and the coalition, after the Yemeni group seized control of parts of the Red Sea coast, threatening Saudi oil exports, and launched strikes over the border.