Saudi Arabia reported shooting down a Houthi drone on the outskirts of the holy Islamic city of Mecca. This happened on Tuesday, September 15, CNN reports, according to UNN.
Details
According to the country's government, this was the first Houthi UAV strike on the city of Mecca in nearly 10 years. Previously, in 2017, an attack involving ballistic missiles was intercepted.
The Houthis themselves deny any involvement in the attack. They also added that its targets were Saudi oil facilities and military bases "far from the holy sites."
Additionally
The Houthis have recently intensified their fight against Yemen's Saudi-backed government and expanded its area of control. Last week, they seized a Red Sea port city in Yemen and an island near an important waterway that had served as a backup to the Strait of Hormuz for months, allowing Saudi oil and petroleum products to be exported.
Recall
The rapid offensive by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen allowed them to strengthen control over the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait and created a new problem for the United States amid the war with Iran.