OIC Condemns Drone Attacks on Mecca and Medina, Suspected Houthi Perpetrators
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has expressed its strong condemnation of alleged unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) attacks reported to have targeted areas around the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. This incident has triggered security warnings from Saudi Arabian authorities and sparked a harsh reaction from the international community.
The OIC General Secretariat considers such actions to be a serious threat that potentially endangers civilians and desecrates the sanctity of the most sacred sites for Muslims. The OIC warned that such attacks could trigger widespread anger and negative sentiment among the global Muslim community.
In its official statement, the OIC General Secretariat firmly categorised the actions of the Yemen-based Houthi group as acts of terrorism. This allegation arises after the group was deemed to have deliberately targeted holy sites, mosques, and civilian facilities within the sovereign territory of Saudi Arabia.
The OIC emphasised that such actions are contrary to international norms. The organisation stated that any form of threat to the sanctity of Muslim places of worship is unacceptable and intolerable under any circumstances. The OIC also called for concrete steps from the international community to prevent responsible parties from committing similar violations in the future.
As a form of support, the OIC expressed full solidarity with the government and people of Saudi Arabia. The organisation supports all defensive measures taken by Riyadh to maintain national security, protect Muslim lives, and defend territorial sovereignty against cross-border attacks.
On the other hand, the Houthi group has firmly denied allegations that they launched attacks targeting the holy city of Mecca on Tuesday (15/9). Houthi politburo official, Hezam Al Asad, provided clarification via the social media platform X on Wednesday (16/9).
“The claims regarding the targeting of Mecca Al Mukarramah are an old and stale lie that is no longer believed by anyone,” Al Asad asserted in his statement.
A dispute of claims persists between security forces, who reported the existence of attack threats, and the Houthi group, which denies involvement in the incident targeting the sacred sites.
Saudi Arabian Air Defence forces successfully intercepted and destroyed a Houthi militia drone attempting to enter Mecca’s airspace on Tuesday night.
Leading a Cabinet meeting, Saudi Arabia emphasised that the security and integrity of its territory are absolute principles that cannot be compromised amidst Houthi attacks.
At the same time, a senior official from the Trump administration stated that the US continues to maintain contact with Saudi Arabia.
Iranian state media reported attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in one death amidst tensions with the US.
Saudi Arabia faces difficult choices in its conflict with the Houthis. Military escalation risks triggering a regional war, while political pathways remain increasingly deadlocked.