Rare public intervention by the monarch comes amid heightened tensions and a recent drone interception near Islam’s holiest city.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has condemned what Riyadh describes as an attempt by Yemen’s Houthi movement to target the holy city of Mecca, labelling the Iran-aligned group a “terrorist militia” in a rare public intervention.
The 90-year-old monarch made the remarks on Tuesday while chairing a cabinet meeting in Jeddah, according to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA). He called the alleged targeting a “heinous crime” that violated the sanctity of Islam’s holiest sites and provoked the sentiments of Muslims worldwide.
King Salman Warns Houthis:
King Salman praised the kingdom’s military and security forces for “defending the homeland and resolutely confronting any aggression against the holy sites, pilgrims, citizens and residents”. The comments came as Saudi Arabia prepared to mark its National Day on Wednesday.
The statement follows Saudi claims last week that air defences intercepted a Houthi drone heading towards Mecca-the first such security alert in the city in nearly a decade. Riyadh described the incident as a continuation of Houthi attacks on civilian and religious sites. The Houthis strongly denied the accusation, with leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi dismissing the Saudi claims as “a heinous lie” and insisting their operations target only military and economic sites far from holy places.
The king’s remarks mark an unusual direct intervention in day-to-day affairs, which are typically managed by his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Analysts note the comments reflect heightened concern in Riyadh after a series of Houthi drone and missile attacks this month that have posed one of the most significant security challenges to the kingdom in years.
Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have escalated sharply in recent weeks. The Houthis, who control much of western Yemen including the capital Sanaa, have launched strikes on Saudi territory, including reported attacks near Riyadh. In response, Saudi forces have conducted airstrikes inside Yemen. On Tuesday, Houthi media claimed a Saudi strike on a prison in northwestern Yemen killed nine detainees, while also accusing Riyadh of civilian casualties in other areas.
Yemen Conflict Fuels Regional Tensions:
The broader conflict in Yemen, now in its second decade, has drawn in regional powers. Saudi Arabia led a military coalition intervening in 2015 to restore the internationally recognised government after the Houthis seized Sanaa. A fragile truce in recent years has repeatedly frayed, with the Red Sea emerging as a flashpoint due to Houthi attacks on commercial shipping that have disrupted global trade routes.
During the same cabinet session, the Saudi government reiterated the need for adherence to international law, respect for state sovereignty, peaceful dispute resolution and the safety of navigation in international waterways. The kingdom has called on the international community to take a firmer stance against Houthi actions targeting holy sites and civilian infrastructure.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and several Muslim-majority countries have previously condemned the alleged drone incident near Mecca. Saudi officials have stressed that the security of the Two Holy Mosques remains a red line and affirmed the kingdom’s right to take all necessary measures to defend them, pilgrims and its territory.
As regional tensions persist, the latest exchange underscores the deepening religious and political dimensions of the Saudi-Houthi confrontation, with both sides trading accusations amid fears of further escalation.