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

By Thomson Reuters Oct 30, 2026 | 1:12 AM

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)