Saudi air defenses destroy Houthi drone near Mecca airspace
September 16, 2026 at 12:59 AM · Updated 30d ago
Coverage
12 reports · 9 in Arabic, 3 in English · over 15 hours
السعودية تدين إطلاق ميليشيا الحوثى طائرة مسيرة باتجاه مكة المكرمة - اليوم السابع
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نبيل فهمي يدين محاولة استهداف مكة ويؤكد تضامن الجامعة العربية مع السعودية - اليوم السابع
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ماذا نعرف عن محاولة استهداف مكة؟.. قصة المسيّرة التي اعترضتها الدفاعات السعودية
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Saudi Arabia says it shot down Houthi drone south of Mecca
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تحذير أمريكي بشأن السفر إلى السعودية | مصراوي
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وزير الإعلام اليمني: من يهدد أمن مكة ثم يرفع شعارات تحرير القدس يتاجر بالقضية الفلسطينية
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السعودية تعترض مسيّرة أطلقها الحوثيون قرب مكة، والولايات المتحدة توصي مواطنيها بـ"إعادة النظر في السفر" إلى المملكة - BBC News عربي
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تحالف دعم الشرعية: اعتراض مسيرة حوثية حاولت دخول المجال الجوي لمكة - اليوم السابع
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Saudi Arabia warns of ‘red line’ after Houthi drone intercepted close to holy city of Mecca
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Saudi-led coalition intercepts drone headed for Mecca
(opens the publisher’s site)السعودية تعلن اعتراض مسيرة حاولت دخول أجواء مكة المكرمة
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اعتراض طائرة مسيرة حاولت الدخول إلى المجال الجوي لمكة المكرمة | مصراوي
(opens the publisher’s site)Saudi Royal Air Defense Forces intercepted and destroyed a drone attempting to enter Mecca's restricted airspace, with the coalition attributing the launch to Yemen's Houthi militia.
- Saudi Royal Air Defense Forces intercepted and destroyed an unmanned drone at 18:50 local time Tuesday south of Mecca before it entered the holy city's restricted airspace.
- Coalition to Support Legitimacy spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said the Houthi militia launched the drone, calling it the second attempt against Mecca after a July 2017 ballistic missile attack.
- Al-Malki added that the security of the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors is a red line and that coalition forces will not hesitate to take deterrent measures against the Houthis.
- The Houthis denied targeting Mecca, dismissing the coalition's claim as misinformation.
- The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned the attack on the holy city.
- The US embassy in Saudi Arabia issued a travel advisory Tuesday recommending American citizens reconsider travel to the kingdom amid the renewed Houthi attacks.
- Yemen's Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani accused the Houthis of threatening Mecca and endangering pilgrims, saying holy-site attackers cannot genuinely support Jerusalem's liberation.
- The US State Department placed Saudi Arabia at travel advisory Level 3, the Yemeni border area at Level 4, and barred its employees from travelling near the border and to Qatif.
- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the drone attack on Mecca, joining the OIC and other Islamic bodies in denouncing the Houthi launch.
- Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy condemned the drone attempt on Mecca, warning continued Houthi escalation endangers regional stability and urging adherence to UN Resolution 2216.