Saudi Arabia intercepts Houthi drone approaching Mecca

Saudi Arabia's air defence forces shot down a drone near Mecca on Tuesday evening. The Houthi group in Yemen launched the drone, but it was destroyed before it reached the city. Security alerts went out to Mecca, Taif, and Jeddah, though the Mecca alert ended after a few minutes.

Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said protecting the holy sites and pilgrims is a "red line." He warned that Saudi forces will take strong action against future attacks. This is the second time the Houthis have tried to reach Mecca. The first attempt was a missile launch in July 2017.

Houthi officials denied they were targeting Mecca. Political bureau member Mohammed al-Farah called the claim "an outright lie."