Drone attack foiled near Mecca, security alert across Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered prohibited airspace, according to the Saudi-led coalition.

An alleged Houthi drone was intercepted and destroyed south of Mecca by Saudi Arabia’s air defences before the drone entered prohibited airspace in Mecca, said a Saudi-led military coalition, news agency Reuters reported. Following the attack, Saudi Arabia issued security alerts across parts of the country, including Mecca, after a week of attacks by Houthi fighters. 

Saudi Military Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki said the incident was the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca, following a reported ballistic missile launch in July 2017. He warned that the coalition would take necessary deterrent measures against the Iran-aligned group. However, Reuters quoted a Houthi military source denying any threat to Mecca or any other Islamic holy sites.

OIC condemns Houthi attacks on Makkah, Madinah region

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) General Secretariat condemned the Houthi attacks targeting Makkah and the Madinah region. The OIC shared a statement on X, reaffirming that the holy sites must be protected and said any attempt to target them was unacceptable.

The OIC General Secretariat Condemns the Houthi Attacks on Makkah and the Madinah Region#OIC #Makkah #Madinah #SaudiArabia #Houthi pic.twitter.com/nQaz3CF2ol

— OIC (@OIC_OCI) September 15, 2026

The Houthis have claimed several attacks on Saudi Arabia over the past week, including strikes on an air base on Monday, saying it was retaliation for air strikes on Yemen.

The US has also advised its citizens against travelling to Saudi Arabia in the wake of the alert issued by Riyadh, as per the Times of Israel.