Saudi Arabia’s King Salman slams targeting of Mecca by ‘terrorist’ Houthis

King Salman bin Abdulaziz publicly labeled Yemen’s Houthi movement a "terrorist militia" and accused the Iran-aligned group of repeatedly aiming attacks at the holy city of Mecca. The 90-year-old monarch made the remarks during a cabinet session on Tuesday, according to the official Saudi Press Agency, in one of his more forceful interventions on current affairs in recent years.

Saudi officials said last week they intercepted a drone launched by the Houthis that was heading toward Mecca, an allegation the Houthis have strongly denied; Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi called the Saudi account "a heinous lie." Authorities activated a security alert in Mecca for the first time in nearly a decade; the city is home to the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site.

King Salman praised the kingdom’s military and security forces for defending the country and protecting holy sites, pilgrims, citizens and residents. His remarks also referenced recent diplomatic contacts, including a meeting between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and talks with French President Emmanuel Macron about regional stability and maritime security.

The comments come amid a broader intensification of Houthi strikes that have increasingly targeted Saudi cities, energy infrastructure and shipping lanes. Saudi-led coalition forces reported intercepting a ballistic missile fired toward Riyadh recently, an attack that produced a large smoke column from a fuel storage area at King Khalid International Airport. The Houthis’ widening control along Yemen’s Red Sea coast has heightened concerns about possible impacts on alternative routes used for Saudi oil exports.

Regional defence cooperation has advanced alongside the security escalation: last month Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, under which an armed attack on any member is treated as an attack on all. King Salman’s unusually sharp condemnation underscores the urgency Riyadh places on countering the Houthi campaign and protecting critical sites and infrastructure.