Global
The Saudi-led military coalition announced on Friday the interception and destruction of a drone over the Mecca region, without disclosing its source, amid escalating attacks targeting the Kingdom. The coalition's spokesperson, Turki Al-Maliki, stated on the platform “X” that a drone was intercepted and destroyed in the Mecca area, without providing further details about the party that launched it or the nature of the attack. This announcement follows a recent statement about intercepting a missile launched towards the Medina region, while the Houthi group denied responsibility for the attack, affirming that they do not target Mecca and Medina. Saudi Arabia has been facing repeated attacks attributed to the Iran-backed Houthi group, which has previously claimed responsibility for strikes targeting airports, energy facilities, and military sites within the Kingdom. On the ground in Yemen, clashes resumed last July between the Houthis and the government forces supported by Saudi Arabia after a four-year truce, with military operations intensifying in September as the Houthis declared control over extensive areas of Yemen’s western coast and around the Bab al-Mandab strait. Meanwhile, the internationally recognized Yemeni government announced a counteroffensive to reclaim lost territories, backed by Saudi air support.
