Riyadh, September 16, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Saudi air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered the restricted airspace over the holy city, the Saudi-led coalition said on Wednesday, as fighting between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis intensified.
Coalition spokesman Turki Al Maliki said the drone was intercepted at around 6:50 p.m. local time on Tuesday. He described the security of the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims as a “red line” and said the coalition would take necessary measures to deter further Houthi attacks. Saudi authorities have also issued security alerts in parts of the country, including Mecca.
The Houthis rejected the allegation. Houthi official Hazem al-Assad said on X that claims of an attempt to target Mecca were a “worn-out lie”, denying that the group had targeted the holy city.
The episode came amid a broader escalation. The Houthis said on Tuesday that Saudi warplanes had carried out 52 airstrikes across five Yemeni provinces over a 24-hour period. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets conducted the strikes in Taiz, Al-Jawf, Al-Bayda, Saada and Amran, alleging that civilian infrastructure including schools, bridges and roads was hit. There was no immediate Saudi response to those claims.
Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV separately reported that three civilians, including two children, were killed and two others wounded in strikes in Taiz province. These casualty claims could not be independently verified.
The latest escalation followed Houthi missile and drone attacks on Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif on Monday, which the Saudi-led coalition said injured 13 civilians. Riyadh pledged what it described as a “responsible and firm” response.
The fighting has also coincided with Houthi advances along Yemen’s Red Sea coast. The group has claimed control of strategic areas including Mocha and Mayun Island near the Bab al-Mandab strait, though battlefield claims from the warring sides have not all been independently verified.
Yemen’s conflict began in late 2014 after the Houthis seized Sanaa and large parts of northern Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government.
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