Gulf Cooperation Council: Targeting holy sites is a serious escalation that cannot be tolerated

The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jassem al-Budaiwi, strongly condemned the treacherous terrorist attempt carried out by the Houthi militia, which targeted the holy city of Makkah al-Mukarramah with a drone. In a statement on Wednesday, al-Budaiwi said 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 holiest sites of Islam.” He added that “these terrorist attacks against Makkah al-Mukarramah once again reveal an extremist approach that disregards the sanctity of holy sites and the safety of civilians, and call for a firm and deterrent international stance that puts an end to these violations and holds those responsible accountable.” He stressed that tampering with Makkah al-Mukarramah, its sanctity, and its security “is not merely an attack on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia alone, but a highly dangerous provocation of the feelings of Muslims around the world,” emphasizing that targeting holy sites represents “a dangerous level of escalation that cannot be tolerated.” He affirmed that GCC states “stand united alongside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and that the security of the Kingdom and its holy sites is an inseparable part of the security of the GCC states.” He renewed “full support for all measures and steps taken by the Kingdom to safeguard its sovereignty, protect its territory, holy sites, citizens, and residents, and to deter anyone attempting to undermine its security and stability.”