Saudi air defences intercepted and destroyed a drone allegedly launched by Yemen’s Houthi group near Makkah, the Saudi-led coalition said.
Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said the drone was intercepted at around 6:50pm local time on Tuesday before it could enter restricted airspace. Its wreckage reportedly fell south of Makkah.
Al-Malki described the incident as the Houthis’ second attempt to target the holy city, referring to a ballistic missile launched towards Makkah on July 27, 2017.
He said the security of the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims constituted a “red line” and vowed that the coalition would take measures to deter further attacks.
The incident followed a series of attacks a day earlier that the coalition attributed to the Houthis. It said 13 civilians were injured in missile and drone strikes targeting Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif, while seven homes and two vehicles were damaged.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation also condemned what it described as Houthi attacks targeting Makkah and the Madinah region. It called them “heinous attacks” intended to “terrorise civilians” and violate the sanctity of holy sites and mosques.
Fighting between forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government and the Houthis has intensified since early July after several years of relative calm.
Yemen’s wider conflict dates back to 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and other parts of the country. A Saudi-led coalition intervened the following year in support of the internationally recognised government.