It was reported that Saudi Arabian air defense systems destroyed an unmanned aerial vehicle, said to belong to the Houthis in Yemen, south of Mecca.
Turki al-Maliki, spokesman for the military coalition led by Saudi Arabia, announced that the UAV was shot down before entering the restricted airspace over Mecca on Tuesday evening.
Al-Maliki claimed that this initiative was the Houthis' second attempt to target Mecca after the ballistic missile incident in July 2017.
Al-Maliki said that the security of Mecca, one of the holiest cities in Islam and visited by millions of Muslims for the pilgrimage every year, is a "red line" and stated that the necessary deterrent measures will be taken.
The Houthis REJECTED THE CLAIM
The Houthis, on the other hand, rejected the statements that Mecca was targeted.
While Houthi officials argued that Saudi Arabia's claim did not reflect the truth, political bureau member Mohammed al-Farah described the accusation that Mecca was targeted as a "blatant lie".
Saudi Arabia issued security warnings in some cities, including Mecca, on Tuesday due to the possibility of an attack.
ATTACKS INCREASED IN THE LAST WEEK
The Houthis announced that they have carried out a series of attacks against Saudi Arabia in recent days.
The group argued that the attack on an air base on Monday was in response to air strikes on Yemen.
The coalition led by Saudi Arabia reported that 13 civilians were injured in the attack.
With the re-intensification of the conflict, the Houthis' progress in some regions on the Red Sea coast of Yemen has increased security concerns around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
OIL SHIPMENTS ARE ALSO AT RISK
The tension in the region is also closely monitored in terms of energy markets.
After the sea traffic in the Strait of Hormuz decreased significantly due to the US-Iran war, Saudi Arabia directed a significant part of its oil exports to the Red Sea route.
The Houthis' advance around Bab al-Mandeb also put this alternative line under pressure.
Saudi Arabia also blamed a pro-Iranian group based in Iraq for last week's attack on the approximately 1,200-kilometer East-West Oil Pipeline, which connects oil fields in the country's east to the Red Sea.
While shipments in the pipeline stopped after the attack, market sources state that a long-term disruption could affect approximately 4 percent of global oil supply.
Saudi Arabia has not announced an official date for when the line will be operational again.
SAUDI ARABIA ASKED FOR SUPPORT FROM THE USA
Saudi Arabia has led the coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen since 2015.
The conflict, which had largely calmed down with a ceasefire in recent years, intensified this month as the Houthis advanced again against forces aligned with the Yemeni government.
According to Reuters, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with US President Donald Trump last week and requested military support.
It has been reported that Washington's support has so far been limited to intelligence assistance.
