Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 05:29am on 18 Sep 2026,Friday International
Iran has urged caution over Saudi Arabia’s claim that a Houthi drone was intercepted south of Mecca, saying the allegation alone does not establish responsibility. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei condemned any aggression against Islamic holy sites, including Mecca, Medina and Al-Aqsa Mosque, but said unverified claims should not be used to inflame regional tensions or divide Muslim countries. The Houthis have denied targeting Mecca, saying their operations target Saudi military and oil facilities. Baqaei also warned about alleged “false flag” operations, arguing that such incidents could be exploited for political purposes. (PC: X)
