Gulf: Targeting Mecca is a "grave transgression" that cannot be justified or tolerated "under any pretext"
Jassim Al-Budaiwi and Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and Mecca.
Translated by Qiyas from النهار — Original source
Riyadh – KUNA: Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassem Al-Budaiwi expressed his strongest condemnation of the terrorist Houthi attacks on several areas of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which resulted from the interception of two ballistic missiles. Fragments of the missiles fell in Wadi Al-Maghams in Mecca, and interception debris landed in sites in the provinces of Jeddah, Taif, and Rabigh.
In a statement, Al-Budaiwi said that this heinous attack by the terrorist Houthi militia demonstrates a blatant disregard for the lives and security of civilians, and constitutes a criminal escalation that threatens the security and stability of the region. He emphasized that exposing Mecca to the dangers of such attacks represents a highly serious violation of the sanctity of holy sites and an affront to the feelings of Muslims worldwide, which cannot be justified or tolerated under any pretext.
He affirmed that the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an integral part of the security of the GCC member states, noting that the Council countries stand united alongside the Kingdom in confronting these attacks and support all measures it takes to protect its territory and safeguard the security of its citizens and residents.
Al-Budaiwi praised the vigilance and effectiveness of Saudi air defenses in intercepting and repelling the terrorist Houthi attacks, calling on the international community to take a firm stance and implement effective measures to put an end to these heinous attacks.
For his part, Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed strongly condemned the vile attacks carried out by the terrorist Houthi militia against Mecca, Medina, and the provinces of Taif and Jeddah.
In a statement, Ould Cheikh Ahmed said that targeting Wadi Al-Maghams, near the sacred Arafat plain, with a ballistic missile exemplifies the perpetrators’ blatant disregard for the sanctity of holy sites and the safety of civilians. He warned of the serious consequences of continuing these abominable acts, stressing the necessity for collective action by Islamic countries to adopt a firm and responsible position to deter the terrorist Houthi militia and put an end to its criminal practices.
He reaffirmed the Organization’s full solidarity with and support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in all measures it takes to protect its security, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of its citizens and residents. He emphasized that violating the sanctity of Islamic holy sites is an attack on the entire Islamic Ummah, necessitating a firm international response and urgent action to halt these attacks and hold the perpetrators accountable.
