Saudi Arabia intercepts Houthi missiles heading toward Mecca, Jeddah

The Arab Coalition has confirmed that the Royal Saudi Air Defense had intercepted aerial targets early Monday morning over the cities of Jeddah and Taif.

According to eyewitnesses, the two Houthi ballistic missiles were intercepted over Taif, one heading for Mecca and the other for Jeddah.

The Kingdom's air defense forces were able to destroy the ballistic missiles.

In light of the attack, the Yemeni government said that it strongly condemns the Houthi attempt to target Mecca, adding that the attack on the holy site is “a full-fledged terrorist act”.

According to an Al Arabiya correspondent, the fragments of the missile landed in Wadi Jalil, which extends to Mecca, noting that this is the second time the Houthi militias attempt to target the holy city.

Earlier in March, Yemen’s Houthi militias warned they could launch attacks against the capitals of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

“We have aerial photographs and coordinates of dozens of headquarters, facilities and military bases of the enemy,” Houthi militia spokesman Yahya Saree had said in comments carried by the militia’s Al-Masirah channel.

“The legitimate targets of our forces extend to the capital of Saudi Arabia and to the emirate of Abu Dhabi,” he said.

The Iran-linked Houthi militias have targeted Saudi border towns and Riyadh with ballistic missiles and also claimed drone attacks on the airports of Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the past.