Saudi-led coalition says Houthi drone downed outside Mecca, as Iran-backed rebels expand attacks

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen reports that air defenses intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone before it entered prohibited airspace over Mecca. Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki says this was the second Houthi attempt to target the holy city, following a ballistic missile launch in July 2017. The incident highlights the expanding range of Iran-backed Houthi attacks on Saudi territory.

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen announced that its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels before it could enter prohibited airspace over the holy city of Mecca. Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki stated in a release that this marks the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca, following what the coalition described as a ballistic missile launch in July 2017. The incident underscores the expanding range and ambition of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels' attacks, which have increasingly targeted Saudi territory. The report was published by Reuters and carried by The Times of Israel as part of its liveblog coverage.

Saudi-led coalition says Houthi drone downed outside Mecca, as Iran-backed rebels expand attacks