Houthis report Saudi strikes as Riyadh accuses them of targeting Mecca

Yemen's Houthis reported fresh Saudi airstrikes on Wednesday as Saudi Arabia accused the group of launching a "cowardly" attack targeting Islam's holy city of Mecca. The Houthis swiftly rejected the accusation as a "lie," but the claim drew widespread condemnation from across the Muslim world.

Did the Houthis target Mecca and how did both sides respond?

Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said it had shot down a drone heading toward Mecca and condemned the incident as a "cowardly terrorist attack," reaffirming the kingdom's right to "defend the security of the two holy mosques, the pilgrims, and the entire Saudi territory."

Houthi politburo member Hazem al-Assad dismissed the accusation as "a worn-out lie that has been used before and no longer fools anyone." One Mecca resident told AFP on condition of anonymity that locals received alerts on their phones warning of an attack and "saw a few people panicking," but added that "life is normal in Mecca." Saudi Arabia had previously accused the Houthis of launching attacks toward the city in an earlier conflict.

How has the international community reacted to the Mecca targeting claim?

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, a bloc of 57 Muslim countries, condemned the "heinous attacks," while Arab League chief Nabil Fahmy called it "a matter of extreme gravity." Turkey's foreign ministry "strongly" condemned the attack.

The governments of Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Pakistan also voiced outrage. The Saudi-led coalition vowed retaliation, saying "the security of the Two Holy Mosques and the pilgrims is a red line" and warning it "will not hesitate to take the necessary and deterrent measures against the Terrorist Houthi Militia."

What is the broader context of the Houthi-Saudi conflict?

Yemen's civil war had been largely dormant since 2022, but fighting flared in July when the Houthis launched a large-scale offensive against government forces. Last week, the Houthis seized control of the entirety of Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital artery for Saudi oil exports, as the wider Middle East war continues to choke off the Strait of Hormuz shipping route. The Houthis have also declared a maritime blockade on Saudi ships in the Red Sea.

On Wednesday, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said Saudi warplanes had launched 40 airstrikes targeting the provinces of Taiz, Marib and Hodeidah over the past 24 hours, and claimed the group had shot down a Saudi fighter jet.

What military developments are happening on the ground in Yemen?

Yemeni government forces are clashing with Houthi fighters near the Saudi border, with AFP footage showing soldiers in armored vehicles pushing across desert terrain under machine-gun fire.

Two military sources told AFP that government forces were fighting for control of Al-Labanat camp, whose capture would clear the path to Al-Hazm, the capital of Al-Jawf governorate, 50 kilometers away. The conflict has forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes, according to the United Nations. Yemen's UN representative Abdullah al-Saadi called on the international community to take action against the Houthis.

Is the US involved and what is happening with Red Sea navigation?

U.S. media reported last week that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made a personal request to President Trump for U.S. intervention, but was turned down. A U.S. military task force is working to enhance intelligence-sharing and planning assistance for Saudi forces, a U.S. official told AFP.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called Tuesday for free navigation in the Red Sea, which serves as a gateway to the Suez Canal, a crucial source of revenue for Cairo. The Houthis have insisted there is no threat to navigation in the Bab al-Mandab Strait except for Saudi vessels.