Riyadh: The Saudi led military coalition in Yemen said on Tuesday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone over Saudi Arabia's Makkah region amid renewed tensions with Yemen's Houthi movement.
Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al Maliki announced the interception on the social media platform X but did not provide details on the drone's origin, intended target, or possible casualties and damage.
The announcement followed a similar incident on 30 October, when the coalition said it intercepted a drone launched by the Houthis towards the Makkah region.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree rejected that accusation, saying the group conducted no operation against Saudi territory that day.
Saree maintained that Houthi military operations targeted Saudi oil facilities and military bases rather than Makkah or Madinah, Islam's two holiest cities.
The competing accounts could not be independently verified.
Recent attacks raise regional security concerns
The latest interception follows several reported cross border attacks involving Saudi Arabia and the Houthis.
On 30 October, the coalition also reported intercepting a cruise missile aimed at western Saudi Arabia. Earlier, Saudi authorities reported damage and an injury caused by debris from intercepted missiles in Riyadh.
The Houthis separately announced operations targeting Saudi airports and energy infrastructure, although individual claims of successful strikes were not independently confirmed.
The Saudi led coalition entered the conflict in Yemen in March 2015, in support of the internationally recognised government, after the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.
The renewed hostilities raised concerns about civilian infrastructure, regional energy supplies and shipping routes.
Tensions escalated around major maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el Mandeb Strait, both vital to international trade and energy transport.
For now, the Saudi led coalition did not disclose further details about Tuesday's interception, while responsibility for the latest drone incident remains unconfirmed.
