A military drone launched toward the Mecca region was intercepted and destroyed on Friday. The Saudi-led coalition announced the operation through its spokesperson, Turki al-Maliki, on the social media platform X.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree rejected the accusation on Telegram. He stated that the armed group had not carried out any operations targeting Saudi territory on Friday.
Saree described the military claims from Riyadh as false. The Saudi enemy statement regarding the drone interception above Mecca airspace was an egregious falsehood, according to the Houthi representative.
The interception follows an earlier announcement on Friday by al-Maliki. He reported that coalition air defences had also intercepted and destroyed a Houthi cruise missile targeting western Saudi Arabia.
These military developments occur against a backdrop of escalating hostilities between the two sides. Both factions have reported various military operations and cross-border attacks in recent days.
The Houthi movement declared on Thursday that it had executed six separate attacks inside Saudi territory. Those operations allegedly targeted critical infrastructure, including oil facilities and airports.
The regional conflict deepened in March 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen. The military alliance acts in support of the internationally recognised government.
The Yemeni government has been locked in a power struggle with the Houthis since the movement seized control of the capital city, Sanaa, in September 2014.
