UAE strongly condemns Houthis attempt to target Makkah with drone

The UAE has condemned in the strongest terms the Houthi group’s attempt to target Makkah al-Mukarramah in Saudi Arabia, using a drone.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) affirmed that the targeting constitutes a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia and a threat to its security and stability.

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The ministry reaffirmed the UAE’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its support for all measures aimed at safeguarding its security and stability.

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The Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen's Houthis accused the rebels on Wednesday of targeting Islam's holy city Makkah, sparking outrage across the Muslim world and deepening the conflict roiling the region.

Fresh fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government has dragged in Riyadh, with the Houthis declaring a maritime blockade on the Kingdom and targeting its ships in the Red Sea.

Last week's lightning offensive saw the group seize control of the entirety of Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital artery for Saudi oil exports as the wider Middle East war chokes off the Strait of Hormuz strategic shipping route.

The Houthis swiftly rejected as a "lie" Riyadh's report that it shot down a drone from the rebels heading towards the Saudi city of Makkah, which attracts millions of pilgrims each year.

The Saudi coalition vowed retaliation, warning that the security of holy sites was a "red line".

Inputs from AFP