Saudi Arabia has accused the Houthis of targeting the holy city of Mecca, a matter that has sparked widespread anger in the Islamic world. The Saudi-led military coalition announced on Wednesday that the country's air defense forces identified and destroyed an intruding drone "launched by the terrorist Houthi militia" before it entered Mecca's airspace.
Houthi Claims
The Houthis quickly dismissed these claims as a "tired lie." Hazem Al-Asad, a senior member of the Houthi movement, wrote on platform X: "The claims about targeting Mecca are an old lie that has been used before and no longer deceives anyone."
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Reaction of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, consisting of 57 Muslim countries, described this attack as "very ugly" and stated that violating the sanctity of holy places is an unacceptable and intolerable aggression. The organization's secretariat emphasized the need for accountability for those who commit these aggressions.
Saudi Arabia is increasingly affected by the escalating conflicts in Yemen, where the Houthis are fighting against the Yemeni government forces supported by Saudi Arabia. On Monday, Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia left 13 injured, bringing the total since the escalation of hostilities in July to nearly 100.
Saudi Arabia's Actions
In July, the Houthis also blocked Saudi oil exports at the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which served as an alternative route for Saudi oil exports during Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Following the attacks on the country, Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, contacted Egypt on Tuesday to seek support against the Houthis. The leaders of the two countries called for "guaranteeing freedom and security of maritime navigation" in the Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab straits.
These escalating conflicts have opened a new front in the Middle East, which is currently also involved in the U.S. war with Iran. Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia warned its citizens on Tuesday about the "risk of targeting American interests, armed conflict, terrorism, exit bans, and local laws regarding social media activities."
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