On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia accused the Houthis of attempting to attack Mecca, a city considered the holiest place in Islam and a pilgrimage site for Muslims around the world.
Attempt to Attack Mecca
Turki al-Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition forces in Yemen, announced that the Houthis fired a drone towards Mecca on Tuesday evening, but the drone was intercepted by Saudi air defense forces before entering the city's restricted airspace.
Al-Maliki stated, "The security of the two holy mosques and the pilgrims is a red line," warning that the Saudi-led coalition would not hesitate to take "necessary and deterrent actions" against the Houthis.
Houthi Denial of Accusations
The Houthis denied the accusation and accused Saudi Arabia of spreading "false allegations." Yahya Saree, the military spokesman for the Houthis, said, "There is no threat from Yemen to the holy sites. Our operations target oil facilities and military bases and are far from the holy places."
This claim comes as a regional crisis is escalating. Houthi advances along the Red Sea coast of Yemen pose a threat to transportation and energy supply, especially amid ongoing conflicts in Iran, raising increasing concerns from the United States and other Saudi allies.
The rising tensions last month are just the latest development in the extensive civil war between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, which has been ongoing since 2014. However, a confirmed attack on Mecca would undoubtedly be a turning point.
Impact on Oil Prices
Amid these regional developments, Brent crude oil prices, the global oil benchmark, rose above $100 per barrel earlier this week. Although prices fell by about 3 percent on Wednesday, they remained above $105 per barrel. Experts warn that further conflicts between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis will only drive prices higher.
According to Freya Musallam, a researcher in the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House, "There is currently pressure on global energy, and it seems it will only get worse." She added that "with the arrival of winter, the demand for energy and heating will increase."
