https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/saudi-led-coalition-intercepts-houthi-drone-headed-for-meccaContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/saudi-led-coalition-intercepts-houthi-drone-headed-for-meccahttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/saudi-led-coalition-intercepts-houthi-drone-headed-for-mecca#u71968Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:20:50 +0000The Saudi-led coalition intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca on Tuesday before it entered prohibited airspace over the holy city. Saudi Arabia described the targeting of Islam's holiest site as a "red line" and vowed decisive deterrent action to protect the area. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned the attack as "heinous." This incident marks the second attempt to target Mecca since 2017, escalating tensions between Riyadh and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.Why it mattersMecca is the holiest city in Islam, making any military threat to t