Saudi Arabia says Houthis made two attempts targeting holy cities in September

02/10/2026

Saudi Arabia says Houthis made two attempts targeting holy cities in September

RIYADH, Oct 2 : Saudi Arabia has reported two incidents in September involving alleged Houthi attacks targeting or threatening the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, renewing tensions over the security of Islam's two holiest sites.

Saudi authorities said a Houthi drone was intercepted and destroyed south of Mecca on September 15 before it entered the holy city's restricted airspace. The Saudi-led coalition described the incident as the second alleged Houthi attempt to target Mecca, following a ballistic missile incident in July 2017.

The Houthis denied targeting Mecca, saying there was no threat from Yemen directed at the city or other Islamic holy sites. A senior Houthi official also rejected Saudi Arabia's account of the September incident.

A second incident was reported on September 29, when the Saudi-led coalition said a Houthi drone attacked the Taibah power distribution station in Medina, a civilian facility supplying electricity to the Prophet's Mosque.

Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said the attack disabled one transformer but did not affect the wider electricity network. He said an operational review and examination of the drone debris had established what Saudi authorities described as Houthi involvement in planning and carrying out the attack.

Al-Maliki accused the Houthis of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure connected to the Prophet's Mosque and said Saudi Arabia would continue measures aimed at deterring further attacks and protecting the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims.

The September incidents followed a major escalation in fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-aligned Houthi movement after years of relative calm following the 2022 UN-brokered truce. The Houthis have intensified attacks against Saudi targets after announcing what they described as a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia.

2017 Mecca missile incident

The first reported Saudi allegation involving Mecca dates to July 27, 2017, when the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched toward Mecca over Taif province, about 69 kilometres from the holy city.

Saudi Arabia accused the Houthis of attempting to disrupt the Hajj season and violating the sanctity of Mecca. The Houthis rejected the accusation, saying the missile had been directed at a military target in Taif rather than the holy city.

Mecca is home to the Grand Mosque and Kaaba, while Medina is home to the Prophet's Mosque. Both cities hold central religious importance for Muslims worldwide.

The September allegations have drawn condemnation from several Arab and Muslim countries and organisations, including the Gulf Cooperation Council, Arab League and Organization of Islamic Cooperation, as well as individual governments that condemned any threat to the Islamic holy sites.

The latest developments come as fighting between Saudi-backed Yemeni forces and the Houthis has intensified, with the conflict also affecting security around the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab.