Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 08:25am on 16 Sep 2026,Wednesday International
Yemen’s Houthi movement on Wednesday rejected Saudi Arabia’s claim that it launched a drone towards Mecca, calling the allegation “fabrications and lies.” Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca on Tuesday evening before it entered the holy city’s restricted airspace. Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki described the incident as the second alleged Houthi attempt to target Mecca, following a ballistic missile launch in 2017. The Houthis denied targeting Mecca or other Islamic holy sites, saying their operations are directed at Saudi military bases and oil facilities. (PC: X)
