Saudi Arabia reports interception of Houthi drone targeting Mecca 

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has reported that it intercepted a drone launched by the Houthis towards Saudi Arabia’s Mecca region.

The drone was “intercepted and destroyed” on Friday morning, coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said in a social media post. It was also reported that a missile aimed at western Saudi Arabia was earlier brought down, as hostilities between the Riyadh-backed Yemen government and Iran-backed Houthis continue to escalate.

A Houthi spokesperson denied targeting the Muslim holy city or surrounding region, reiterating that the group’s cross-border attacks remain strictly focused on Saudi energy and military infrastructure.

The Saudi-led coalition has previously accused the Houthis of launching drones towards Islam’s two holiest cities: Mecca and Medina.

“Our operations target [Saudi] oil facilities and military bases, and there is no longer anyone in this world who believes these fabrications and lies propagated by the criminal Al Saud regime,” the Houthi spokesman wrote.

The opposing claims come as hostilities continue with no sign of slowing, and humanitarian agencies warn of worsening conditions for civilians.

On Thursday, the Saudi-led coalition said it destroyed a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis towards the kingdom’s eastern region. It later said two ballistic missiles launched towards the Saudi capital, Riyadh, were also intercepted and destroyed.

Al-Malki reported early on Friday that the coalition’s air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi cruise missile that targeted western Saudi Arabia.

Media outlets affiliated with the Houthis reported later that coalition air attacks were targeting the Mahliyah district in Marib, Haifan in Taiz, and Huwaishan in al-Jawf in the country.

Al Jazeera Arabic’s Hadeel al-Yamani reported from Taiz that fighting along the front lines was persisting.

The governor of Taiz said the city was suffering heavy shelling, with residential neighbourhoods taking hits.

“Aircraft can be heard frequently over the city, which remains under a suffocating siege, with no medical supplies, water or fuel getting in,” al-Yamani reported.

“On the western front, there were intermittent clashes around dawn. The northern fronts were relatively calm, but still saw sporadic fighting. There has been a notable escalation in hostilities around Jabal Saber and Jabal Habashi,” he said.