Houthi Chief Refutes Claims of Mecca Drone Attack as Saudi‑Yemen Tensions Surge

In Sanaa, the head of Yemen’s Houthi movement, Abdul‑Malik al‑Houthi, took to al‑Masirah TV on Thursday to dismiss what he called a "fabrication and misinformation" campaign accusing his fighters of aiming a drone at Mecca. He said the allegation was a outright lie, meant to rally support for what he described as "military measures imposed on Yemen" by Saudi Arabia.

Al‑Houthi argued that Saudi officials were trying to use the supposed attack on Islam’s holiest city to justify a tightening of the already‑strained restrictions on Houthi‑held areas. He highlighted ongoing problems such as limited airport operations and blocked imports, which he said remain unresolved despite a brief lull in fighting earlier this year.

The Houthi chief also called on supporters across the country to gather for mass demonstrations on Friday, urging them to reject what he termed Saudi "fabrications and slander." His appeal came just a day after the Saudi‑led coalition announced it had intercepted and destroyed a drone south of Mecca, claiming it was on a trajectory toward the city’s restricted airspace.

Coalition spokesperson Turki al‑Malki stressed that protecting the two holiest Islamic sites and the safety of pilgrims is a "red line" for Saudi Arabia. He said the intercepted drone was the second alleged Houthi attempt to reach Mecca, the first being a reported ballistic‑missile strike in July 2017.

Meanwhile, the wider conflict between the Houthis and the Saudi‑backed Yemeni government has been heating up. Since early September, the rebels have captured key positions along the Red Sea coast and near the strategic Bab al‑Mandab Strait, while ramping up missile and drone assaults on Saudi military installations and oil infrastructure. The coalition, for its part, says it has intensified airstrikes across Yemen in response.

The war, which began in late 2014 when Houthi forces seized the capital Sanaa, drew a Saudi‑led coalition into the fray in March 2015 to support the internationally recognised Yemeni government. Nearly twelve years later, accusations like the one over Mecca continue to fuel a volatile narrative on both sides.