Play store
Saudi Arabia said debris from two ballistic missiles intercepted by its air defence systems fell at two locations in the Makkah region on Wednesday, amid escalating hostilities between the kingdom and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement.
Saudi state television identified the locations as Sabuhah village, around 35 kilometres northeast of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, and Wadi al-Maghmas, approximately 21 kilometres east of the mosque.
According to Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence, the missiles were launched towards the region but were intercepted and destroyed before reaching their intended targets.
In a statement issued early Thursday, the Civil Defence accused the Houthi movement of targeting civilian facilities and described the incident as a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
The Houthis have repeatedly denied Saudi allegations that they target Makkah and Madinah, the two holiest cities in Islam.
They maintain that their military operations are directed at military and strategic targets elsewhere in Saudi Arabia. The group has yet to comment on the latest incident.
The incident comes amid renewed military confrontations between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis.
The group seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014, prompting Saudi Arabia to intervene militarily the following year in support of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
A United Nations-brokered truce in 2022 largely halted hostilities.
However, fighting resumed earlier this year, with the Houthis launching missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory and Riyadh conducting airstrikes in Yemen.
The latest escalation has also raised concerns over the security of the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital international shipping route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
