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Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen launched a drone towards Mecca on Tuesday, according to Saudi Arabia’s coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki. The spokesman described the incident as “a black mark in the record of violations by the extremist terrorist Houthi militia.” The drone was intercepted and destroyed by the Saudi air defenses before it reached the city, the coalition said. The Houthis also claimed that they shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet in Marib province.

Yahya Saree, the Houthi military’s spokesman, said late on Tuesday that the militia’s military operations had been focused on “oil facilities, armed forces’ camps and various targets far removed from the sacred sites” and described Saudi claims that Mecca had been targeted as “fabrications and lies propagated by the criminal Saudi regime.”

Mecca is the holiest place for Muslims in the world, and contains the Grand Mosque that Muslims all over the world pray towards in their daily five prayers. Saudi Arabia is the custodian of the two holy mosques, a great source of pride for the country amongst Muslims all around the world.

The attack is part of an escalation of Houthi strikes against Saudi Arabia. The Iran-backed militant group recently seized control of the Greater and Lesser Hanish islands in the southern Red Sea from Yemeni forces allied with the Arab coalition. The disruption caused by the attack on the 1,200km-long trans-Arabian pipeline for several days saw Brent crude trading above $106 per barrel on Tuesday morning. Prices of diesel in the US are also at record highs.

The Saudi-led coalition has been carrying out airstrikes in Yemen as part of its campaign to reverse Houthi gains. The attack on Mecca represents a “red line” for Saudi Arabia.

According to the Daily Mail and reporting by Al Jazeera and DW.

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