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Yemen's Houthis deny launching drone after coalition reports interception in Mecca region

Khaled Abdullah
Khaled Abdullah
Oct 30, 2026
FILE PHOTO: Houthi supporters hold anti-Saudi rally amid escalation with the kingdom
FILE PHOTO: Houthi supporters hold anti-Saudi rally amid escalation with the kingdom — Khaled Abdullah

Oct 30 (Reuters) - Yemen's Houthis denied launching any attack towards Saudi Arabia on Friday, after the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by the group over the Mecca region.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree dismissed the coalition's account as false in a post on X, saying the group had not carried out any operation towards Saudi territory. He said its operations target Saudi oil facilities and military bases.

The Iran-aligned Houthis have launched a series of cross-border attacks against Saudi Arabia targeting military installations, airports and energy infrastructure.

The group has repeatedly denied targeting Mecca and Medina, Islam's two holiest cities, rejecting previous Saudi-led coalition accusations that it had launched drones towards the cities.

(Reporting by Hatem Maher and Tala Ramadan; Editing by Neil Fullick)

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