Saudi-led coalition intercepts drone headed for Mecca - Al Jazeera

**Saudi‑led coalition says it shot down a drone that tried to breach Mecca’s airspace**

Riyadh’s coalition forces reported that on [date], a Houthi‑launched drone was detected while approaching the Saudi holy city of Mecca and was intercepted by the kingdom’s air‑defence systems. According to a statement released by the Saudi Ministry of Interior, the unmanned aircraft entered Saudi airspace from the south‑west, triggering radar alerts and prompting a rapid response from Patriot and Arrow missile batteries stationed near the city. The drone was destroyed before it could reach populated areas, and no casualties or damage were reported.

The Saudi government framed the incident as a violation of a “red line” it has drawn around the two holiest sites in Islam, warning that any future attempts to target Mecca or Medina would elicit a decisive military response. The warning comes amid a sharp escalation in the Yemen war, where the Iran‑aligned Houthis have increasingly used drones and ballistic missiles to strike Saudi territory. Saudi officials emphasized that protecting the sanctity of the holy sites is a non‑negotiable national priority, and they have pledged to bolster air‑defence coverage around the region.

The Houthi movement, which controls large parts of northern Yemen, dismissed the coalition’s claim as “a worn‑out lie,” insisting that they have not launched any weapon toward Mecca. The group’s spokesperson accused Saudi Arabia of using the alleged attack to justify further military pressure on Houthi‑held areas. The episode underscores the broader volatility of the Saudi‑Yemeni conflict, where each side regularly cites the other’s actions to rally domestic and international support while the civilian population continues to bear the brunt of the fighting.

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