Saudi Arabia declares Mecca a red line as Houthis deny drone attack attempt
Saudi Arabia says it intercepted a drone heading toward Mecca and blamed Iran-backed Houthi rebels, while the rebels denied involvement.
Saudi Arabia declared Mecca a red line after claiming Yemen's Houthi rebels tried an overnight drone attack on Islam's holiest city. The Saudis said they stopped and destroyed the drone before it reached airspace over Mecca, about 1100 kilometres from Yemen's border.
The Houthis denied firing drones at the city. The incident marks an escalation in the Iran-Saudi conflict.
The rebels have attacked Saudi infrastructure and shipping on the Red Sea for weeks. A key Saudi oil pipeline has reportedly been shut down during the attacks.
Oil prices stay above $US100 a barrel. Turkey and Pakistan, both part of a new defence deal with Saudi Arabia, have not yet had a request for military help.
- 1100 kilometres from Yemen border
- Distance to Mecca
- Above $US100 a barrel
- Oil price level
- Ballistic missile in 2017
- Previous Mecca attack
Why it mattersAn attack on Mecca would be deeply significant to the Muslim world, and the tensions are pushing up global oil prices.
AustraliaAustralian petrol and energy prices could rise if Red Sea and Middle East tensions tighten further, affecting household and business costs.
Corroborated bythenightly.com.au
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 8 d ago
