Mecca Put On Air Raid Alert For 1st Time, Saudi Warns Houthis Of 'Red Line' - NDTV
Saudi Arabia activated its first ever air‑raid alert in Mecca after intelligence pointed to an imminent Houthi threat, warning the rebels that any attack would breach a declared “red line.” The move has heightened regional tensions, prompting India’s concern over maritime blockades and a coalition of Gulf states to warn Iran, while crude oil markets reacted to the risk of supply disruptions.
AI Objective Summary
Saudi Arabia activated its first ever air‑raid alert in Mecca after intelligence pointed to an imminent Houthi threat, warning the rebels that any attack would breach a declared “red line.” The move has heightened regional tensions, prompting India’s concern over maritime blockades and a coalition of Gulf states to warn Iran, while crude oil markets reacted to the risk of supply disruptions.
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**Mecca Put on Air‑Raid Alert for the First Time as Saudi Arabia Issues Red‑Line Warning to Houthis**
Saudi authorities placed the holy city of Mecca on an unprecedented air‑raid alert on Thursday after intelligence indicated a heightened threat from Yemen’s Iran‑aligned Houthi rebels. The Ministry of Interior activated the alert at 02:00 GMT, triggering sirens and prompting the temporary suspension of flights to and from the nearby Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport. In a televised statement, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman warned that any further Houthi strikes on Saudi soil would cross a “red line,” pledging a decisive military response to protect the Kingdom’s sovereignty and the safety of pilgrims.
The alert comes amid a broader escalation in the Gulf region, where the Houthis have intensified missile and drone attacks on Saudi infrastructure and shipping lanes. India’s Ministry of External Affairs expressed deep concern over recent blockades in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab‑el‑Mandeb, underscoring the potential impact on global energy trade. In response, a coalition of Sunni‑majority states, dubbed the “Mecca Alliance,” convened in Riyadh and issued a collective warning to Iran, accusing Tehran of enabling Houthi aggression and threatening to tighten diplomatic and economic pressure if the attacks continue.
The sudden alert sparked panic among residents and pilgrims, with many seeking shelter in designated safe zones. Muslim religious organisations, including the Muslim World League, condemned the Houthis’ actions as an affront to the sanctity of Islam’s holiest sites. Meanwhile, the security alerts have already reverberated through the commodities market; crude oil prices rose modestly on concerns that continued hostilities could disrupt the flow of oil through the strategically vital chokepoints of Hormuz and Bab‑el‑Mandeb. Saudi officials have pledged heightened coastal and aerial surveillance for the coming weeks as the kingdom braces for possible further incursions.
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