Alert! Mecca Targeted by Drone Attacks, a Potential Global Disaster
Alert! The holy city of Mecca, sacred to Muslims, has reportedly been targeted by a drone attack. The Saudi-led military coalition fighting Houthi rebels in the Middle East stated that the Yemeni rebels attempted to attack Mecca on Wednesday (16/09/2026).
“The Air Defence Forces of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone launched by the Houthi Terrorist Militia before the drone entered the Prohibited Airspace of the Holy City ‘Makkah Al-Mukarramah’,” stated coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki in a post on X, as reported by AFP.
“The security of the ‘Two Holy Mosques’ and the pilgrims is a red line, and the Coalition Joint Forces Command will not hesitate to take all necessary and preventative actions against the Houthi Terrorist Militia,” he added.
Previously, Saudi Arabia had issued a warning on Tuesday regarding potential attacks in Mecca and the southern regions of the Kingdom bordering Yemen. This warning, the first issued for Mecca since the US-Iran conflict erupted in February, follows a wave of ballistic missile and unmanned aerial vehicle attacks launched from Yemen that injured 13 people in the Kingdom.
Muslim Nations Express Anger
This development has angered the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). In a joint statement, the 57-member bloc condemned the Houthi attacks, describing them as “vile.”
“The General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemns the vile attacks carried out by the Houthi group against the cities of Mecca and Medina, as well as their ongoing aggression against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the OIC stated on X.
However, a Houthi official dismissed the reports, claiming the allegations are mere falsehoods.
“The claim regarding the targeting of Mecca is an old lie that has been used before and can no longer deceive anyone,” wrote Hazem al-Assad from the Houthi political bureau on X.
Notably, tensions in the Middle East are escalating once again. Following the conflicts involving Israel in Gaza and Lebanon, and the US-Iran tensions spreading to the Strait of Hormuz, fighting has resumed between the Iran-backed Houthi group and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government.
The Houthis have even conducted lightning strikes, including a maritime blockade against the Saudi Kingdom, targeting their vessels in the Red Sea.
Over the weekend, the Houthis also gained control of the entire Yemeni Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital artery for Saudi oil exports, at a time when the broader Middle East war is disrupting strategic shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz.
On 10 September, the Saudi Arabia East-West Pipeline was targeted by several drones, leading to a temporary shutdown. Reuters reported that the impact on Saudi oil export routes has been significant.
A Global Disaster
Meanwhile, Houthi disruptions could also severely impact Egypt, as the Red Sea serves as the gateway to the Suez Canal, a crucial source of foreign exchange for Cairo. Currently, revenue from the canal is only about half of what it was before the Houthis began attacking ships in the Red Sea in 2023—a campaign they claim is an act of solidarity with the Palestinian people during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
On Tuesday, Qatar warned of serious consequences if the Bab al-Mandab Strait were to be closed, asserting that such an event would be “a disaster for the entire world.”