• Saudi air defences intercepted a drone launched by Yemen's Houthi militia near Mecca, Islam's holiest city, with the unmanned aircraft being destroyed south of the city, according to coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki.
• A Houthi official rejected the accusation that Mecca had been targeted, calling claims about targeting Mecca a "worn-out lie" that no longer fools anyone, as authorities in Mecca issued an alert urging residents to remain calm and follow official instructions.
• This was the first Houthi attempt to attack Mecca since 2017, when the group tried to target the city with a ballistic missile, amid increased attacks on Saudi Arabia by the Iran-aligned Houthis and suspected Iran-backed Shiite militias from Iraq.

Saudi air defences intercepted a drone launched by Yemen's Houthi militia near Mecca, Islam's holiest city, the Saudi-led military coalition said early on Wednesday.

The unmanned aircraft was destroyed south of the city, according to coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki, who described the attempted attack in a post on X as a "disgraceful act."

A Houthi official rejected the accusation that Mecca had been targeted.

"The claims about targeting Mecca are a worn-out lie that has been used before and no longer fools anyone," Hazem al-Assad wrote on X.

Authorities in Mecca had issued an alert on Tuesday, urging residents to remain calm and follow official instructions.

It was the first time an alert had been issued in the pilgrimage city since the latest escalation in the conflict with the Houthis.

According to al-Maliki, it was the first Houthi attempt to attack Mecca since 2017, when the group tried to target the city with a ballistic missile.

The Iran-aligned Houthis have stepped up attacks on neighbouring Saudi Arabia amid a renewed escalation of the war in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia supports Yemen's internationally recognized government and has carried out airstrikes against the Houthis as part of the Saudi-led military coalition.

The kingdom has also come under attack from Iraq. Iran-backed Shiite militias are suspected of being behind those attacks.