Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted Houthi drone over Makkah region

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said it intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by the Houthis towards Saudi Arabia's Makkah region. According to Al Jazeera, coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki announced this in a social media post, saying the drone was brought down on Friday morning.

Al Jazeera also reported that a missile aimed at western Saudi Arabia was brought down earlier. Al-Malki said on Friday that the coalition's air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi cruise missile that targeted the west of the kingdom.

The Houthis rejected the claim about Makkah. A Houthi spokesperson denied targeting Makkah or the surrounding region and said the group's cross-border attacks are aimed at Saudi energy and military infrastructure. The Houthi spokesman said: "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 coalition has previously accused the Houthis of launching drones towards Makkah and Medina, according to Al Jazeera.

The latest incident follows other attacks. On Thursday the 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 Riyadh were also intercepted and destroyed. Arab News reported that one person was injured in Riyadh after Saudi air defences shot down Houthi missiles.

Al Jazeera said hostilities between the Yemeni government, which is backed by Riyadh, and the Iran-backed Houthis continue to escalate. Attacks have continued with no sign of slowing, and humanitarian agencies warn that conditions for civilians are worsening.