Saudi Arabia: Attack on Mecca a Repetition of 'Houthi' Terrorism

Riyadh (Agencies): The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom’s condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist Houthi militia’s launch of a hostile drone toward the city of Mecca yesterday. In a statement, the ministry affirmed that this cowardly terrorist attack on the Holy City, the land of revelation, the place where divine inspiration descended, and the qibla of Muslims, constitutes a repetition of the Houthi militia’s practices of targeting and violating sacred sentiments, and an affront to the feelings of Muslims worldwide. This attempt marks the second effort to target Mecca, following the first on July 27, 2017.

The Kingdom praised the vigilance of the Saudi Royal Air Defense Forces, which intercepted and destroyed the drone before it entered the restricted airspace of the holy capital, Mecca. The Kingdom renewed its call on the international community to condemn these grave attacks and to adopt a firm stance against the Houthi militia’s assaults on sacred sentiments, civilian and economic assets, and the threats posed by Houthi militias to the freedom of maritime navigation for commercial ships and international trade. It also reaffirmed its legitimate right to take all necessary measures to defend the security of the Two Holy Mosques, the guests of the Merciful, and all of Saudi Arabia’s territory, citizens, and residents.

On his part, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassem Al-Budaiwi, strongly condemned in the harshest terms the treacherous terrorist attempt by the Houthi militia to target the holy capital of Mecca with a drone. He stressed that this criminal and sinful Houthi act represents a highly dangerous escalation, a transgression of all lines and boundaries, and a blatant violation of the sanctity of the holiest places on Earth and the qibla of Muslims. These terrorist attacks against Mecca once again reveal an extremist approach that disregards the sanctity of holy sites and civilian safety, requiring a firm and deterrent international position that puts an end to these violations and holds those responsible accountable. He emphasized that any infringement on Mecca, its sanctity, and its security is not merely an attack on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia alone, but a highly dangerous provocation of Muslims’ feelings worldwide, noting that targeting holy sites represents a dangerous level of escalation that cannot be tolerated.

Earlier, the “Supporting Legitimacy Coalition in Yemen” announced on Tuesday evening that it had intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by the Houthi group before it entered the restricted airspace of the holy capital, Mecca. Al-Maliki described the attempt as a “shameful act” targeting the place of revelation, the land of the message, and the focal point of millions of Muslims’ hearts, and as an attempt to terrorize the guests of the Sacred House of God and harm citizens and residents. He added that the attempt would remain a “black stain” in the record of Houthi violations, as it was a deliberate act to provoke the feelings of millions of Muslims. Al-Maliki stressed that the security of the Two Holy Mosques and the guests of the Merciful is a “red line,” affirming that the joint command of the coalition forces would not hesitate to take necessary and deterrent measures against the Houthis and their hostile conduct.