Why Houthis Are Attacking Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia says it intercepted a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered the holy city's restricted airspace, while the Houthis dismissed the claim as a 'worn-out lie.' The incident comes amid a sharp escalation between the Iran-aligned group and Riyadh, with attacks on Saudi territory, strikes in Yemen and growing competition over the Red Sea.
Saudi Arabia and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation accuse the Houthis of a "heinous" attack on Islam's holy city Mecca. On Tuesday, September 15, Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca o before it entered prohibited airspace over Islam’s holiest city. The Houthis denied targeting Mecca, calling the Saudi account a “worn-out lie,” as fighting between the Iran-aligned group and Saudi-backed forces in Yemen enters a sharper phase.
The incident came after Saudi Arabia issued brief security alerts in Mecca, Jeddah and Taif amid a wider series of Houthi missile and drone attacks. Saudi authorities said the alerts were lifted after the danger had passed. The escalation follows renewed fighting in Yemen and a growing struggle over the strategically important Red Sea coast and Bab al-Mandab Strait. Mecca Emergency Alert Lifted After Potential Danger Warning Amid Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia Accuses Houthis of Attack
BREAKING Saudi Arabia and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation accuse the Houthis of a "heinous" attack on Islam's holy city Mecca.
Houthi official says Saudi report that it shot down a drone heading towards Mecca is "a worn-out lie" pic.twitter.com/CakPQ3cf1E
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) September 16, 2026
Why Are Houthis Attacking Saudi Arabia?
The latest attacks are linked to the renewed conflict between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces in Yemen. The Houthis have said their attacks on Saudi territory are retaliation for Saudi military operations against Houthi positions in Yemen.
The group has announced several major attacks on Saudi Arabia over the past week, including strikes on an airbase that it said were retaliation for airstrikes on Yemen. Houthi military officials have also claimed attacks against Saudi energy infrastructure and other strategic targets. Saudi Arabia Issues Emergency Alerts for Taif, Jeddah and Other Cities Amid Houthi Escalation.
The renewed fighting represents a significant escalation after a United Nations-brokered truce halted large-scale Saudi-Houthi fighting in 2022. The current confrontation has expanded beyond the traditional front lines, with missiles and drones being used against targets inside Saudi Arabia.
What Happened Near Mecca?
Saudi Arabia’s air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca on Tuesday before it entered prohibited airspace over the holy city, according to a spokesperson for the Saudi-led military coalition which is fighting the Iran-aligned group in Yemen.
The security of Islam’s two holiest sites and of pilgrims was a “red line”, coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki said early on Wednesday, adding that the coalition would take necessary deterrent measures against the Houthis.
Saudi authorities said the drone was intercepted at about 6:50 p.m. on Sept. 15, south of Mecca. Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki described it as the second alleged Houthi attempt to target the city, referring to a 2017 ballistic missile incident.
Mecca, home to shrines sacred to Muslims worldwide, is Islam’s holiest city and the focal point of the annual hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam, which millions of Muslims undertake each year. Malki described the incident as the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca, after what the coalition said was a ballistic missile launch in July 2017.
Houthis Reject Saudi Account
A Houthi official rejected the claim on Wednesday, with spokesperson Hazem al-Assad writing on X: “The claims about targeting Mecca are a worn-out lie that has been used before and no longer fools anyone.” The denial is significant because the Saudi and Houthi accounts differ over the intended target of the drone. Saudi authorities say the aircraft was heading toward Mecca, while the Houthi side has rejected that characterization.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned what they called a “heinous” attack on Islam’s holy city, blaming the Houthis. The group – which is made up of 57 Muslim-majority countries decried the “ongoing aggression against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” The OIC has previously condemned Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and expressed support for the kingdom's security.
Saudi Arabia Raises Security Alerts
Saudi Arabia issued security alerts across parts of the country on Tuesday, including in Mecca and other cities, following a week of attacks by Iran-aligned fighters that have drawn the kingdom deeper into the Middle East war.
The alerts in Mecca, Jeddah and Taif were brief and were lifted after Saudi authorities said the danger had passed. The Mecca warning was the first such alert reported during the current escalation.
The alerts followed Houthi missile and drone attacks that Saudi authorities said wounded people in several cities. The Houthis have also claimed responsibility for attacks on Saudi military and energy-related targets.
The Red Sea And Bab Al-Mandab Factor
The Houthis have seized control of parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coast overlooking the Bab al-Mandab, one of the world’s most important shipping straits, threatening Saudi oil exports rerouted from the strait of Hormuz.
The Bab al-Mandab connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a major route for commercial and energy shipping. Recent Houthi advances along Yemen's western coastline have increased the strategic importance of the confrontation.
The Houthis have also announced several major attacks on Saudi Arabia over the past week, including strikes on an airbase on Monday that it said were retaliation for airstrikes on Yemen.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said earlier this month that the group had launched a large-scale operation using ballistic missiles and drones against Saudi targets, including facilities associated with Saudi Aramco and Khamis Mushait Air Base. The Houthis said the attacks were in response to Saudi strikes in Yemen.
What Happens Next?
Saudi Arabia has warned that the security of the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims is a “red line” and said it would take measures to deter further Houthi attacks. The Houthis, meanwhile, have said they intend to continue their military campaign while accusing Saudi Arabia of attacking Yemen.
The immediate dispute over the Mecca-bound drone remains unresolved because the two sides have provided conflicting accounts of its intended target. What is clear is that the incident comes during a broader escalation involving Saudi territory, Houthi-held areas of Yemen and the strategically important Red Sea corridor.
The renewed fighting also raises concerns over the wider regional and humanitarian consequences. Recent reporting indicates that fighting has displaced people inside Yemen and disrupted fuel supplies and movement across the Red Sea, adding pressure to an already severe humanitarian situation.
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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 16, 2026 07:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
