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Saudi Arabia accused Yemen's Houthi rebels of attempting to attack Mecca, which the kingdom has declared a "red line," with officials claiming they intercepted and destroyed the drone before it reached the holy city. The Houthis denied the allegations, asserting they did not launch any drones toward Mecca, which is located approximately 1,100 kilometers (680 miles) from Yemen's border. This incident marks the second attempted attack on Mecca by the Houthis, following a ballistic missile incident in 2017, while oil prices remain over $100 a barrel, and there is a lack of military support for Saudi Arabia from countries like Turkey and Pakistan despite the presence of a new defense pact.

Saudi Arabia intercepted a Houthi drone targeting Mecca, prompting condemnation from the Saudi-led coalition and the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which deemed it an "unacceptable and intolerable transgression." The Houthis, who control much of western Yemen, refuted the accusation, claiming their operations focused on Saudi oil facilities and military bases, stating that Saudi Arabia had conducted over 450 airstrikes against them in the previous week. Additionally, recent Houthi advances included capturing the strategic port city of Mokha and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, with over 90,000 people displaced due to ongoing conflicts in Yemen.

A Saudi-led military coalition has accused Yemen's Houthi rebels of attempting to target the holy city of Mecca, claiming that a hostile drone was intercepted before it could enter the airspace of the city. The Houthis have denied these accusations, labeling them as false and a "worn-out lie," while the Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned any violation of holy sites. The ongoing conflict has resulted in 13 injuries from Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia on Monday night, bringing the total number of injured to approximately 100 since July.

Saudi Arabia intercepted a Houthi drone south of Mecca on Tuesday, preventing it from entering prohibited airspace over the holy city, marking the second attempt by the Houthis to target Mecca since a ballistic missile launch in July 2017. Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki emphasized that the security of Islam’s two holiest sites is a "red line" and vowed to take necessary deterrent measures against the Houthi group, while the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned the attack as "heinous." Following these developments, Saudi Arabia issued security alerts and the US embassy advised against travel to the kingdom due to risks associated with ongoing Houthi aggression and potential Iranian drone and missile threats.

Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by the Houthis towards Mecca, a significant escalation that poses a threat to the holy city; this incident prompted a security alert in Mecca for the first time since 2017, though it was quickly lifted. Houthi forces have denied targeting Mecca, claiming that such assertions are misinformation, while the Saudi-led coalition has vowed to respond firmly to Houthi strikes, which recently injured 13 people in various cities. Mecca, home to the Kaaba and a destination for millions of pilgrims, welcomed approximately 1.7 million Muslims for the Hajj season in May and over 11.7 million for Umrah between September and October 2025.