Saudi Arabia Declares Mecca a 'Red Line' Amid Houthi Drone Attack

A recent drone attack on Mecca, Islam's holiest city, has left Saudi Arabia scrambling for military support from its allies in Turkey and Pakistan. The kingdom, a key U.S. ally, has declared Mecca a 'red line' as it faces increased aggression from Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The Houthis have been targeting Saudi infrastructure, including the country's crucial pipeline, which has been shut down for weeks after an attack. Oil prices remain above $100 a barrel, with the Houthis also seizing several islands on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and targeting ships in the Red Sea.

Turkey and Pakistan have offered support to Saudi Arabia through their new defense pact, but officials from both countries say they have not received a request for assistance. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his country's condemnation of the attack, stating that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia stand 'unwaveringly, shoulder to shoulder.'

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation also condemned the attempted attack on Mecca, saying it violates the 'sanctity of holy sites.' The Houthis have denied firing drones toward Mecca, but the Saudis claim they intercepted and destroyed a drone before it entered the city's airspace.