Saudi coalition says it intercepted drone near Mecca — Anadolu Agency
Saudi Arabia’s air defense forces intercepted and destroyed a drone near Mecca. The Saudi-led coalition stated this, Anadolu Agency reports.
Interception over the outskirts of the city
Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said that the drone, which he said was launched by Yemen’s Houthi group, was intercepted on Tuesday at around 18:50 local time. He claimed that the device was destroyed before entering restricted airspace, and its debris fell south of the city.
Al-Maliki called the incident the Houthis’ second attempt to attack Mecca. He referred to a ballistic missile which, he said, was launched toward the city on July 27, 2017.
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Coalition statement and previous attacks
The spokesperson said that the security of the two holy mosques and pilgrims is a “red line.” He also promised that the coalition would take measures to deter further attacks.
The incident occurred the day after the coalition said that 13 civilians had been injured in missile and drone attacks for which it blamed the Houthis. According to the coalition, the strikes affected Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Taif, damaging seven homes and two vehicles.
Since early July, clashes between the forces of Yemen’s internationally recognized government and the Houthis have escalated after several years of relative calm. The war in Yemen has continued since 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and several provinces, and in 2015 an Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened in support of the internationally recognized government.
