Colonel Turki Al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition forces in Yemen, said that the Houthis launched a drone toward Mecca on Tuesday evening, but it was shot down by the Saudi Air Defense Forces before entering the city’s restricted airspace.
Riyadh referenced a previous similar incident from July 2017, in which it accused the Houthis of targeting Mecca. The Houthis acknowledged launching a missile from Yemen, but said that it was aiming for the King Fahd air base in Taif.
“There is no threat from Yemen to the holy sites. Our operations target its oil facilities and military bases, and are far from the holy sites,” said Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree via Telegram.
The past month’s escalation is only the latest development amid the wider civil war between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemen government, which has been ongoing since 2014. But a confirmed attack on Mecca would undoubtedly be a turning point.
At the same time, he condemned the alleged attack.
Fawaz Gerges, a professor in international relations at the London School of Economics, questions what the Houthis would have to gain from such an attack. Over 1.7 million Muslims this year performed Hajj, their pilgrimage to Mecca, according to the Saudi government.
Gerges does, however, offer another explanation: “The Houthis are using drones and homemade missiles, so there is a real possibility that the Houthi drone basically misfired.”
“Both sides are now engaged not only in military hostilities, but also for the hearts and minds of Arabs and Muslims,” he adds.
Houthi advances deepen the Red Sea oil crisis
Houthi strikes, meanwhile, have been largely concentrated along the Yemeni border in the south. They have also made advances in the Red Sea, seizing key sites like Perim Island and the port of Mokha. The captures strengthen their control over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait—a pivotal shipping lane that could affect global trade and oil prices at a time when they are already under strain.
Amid these regional developments, the price of Brent crude, the global standard for oil, climbed above $100 per barrel earlier this week. The price fell about 3% on Wednesday but remained above $105 a barrel. Experts warn that more strikes between the Saudis and Houthis will only drive up prices further.
Continued fighting this week “is going to start making the West bleed more efficiently over the next few weeks,” he says. “With winter, there will be a lot of need for energy and for heating.”
In what was its third vote on the matter this summer, three Republican Representatives changed their votes to align with Democrats in favor of a War Powers Resolution to end U.S. military action against Tehran. With a total of seven Republicans voting in favor, the resolution was approved with 220 votes, beating 204 against.
Nunn added: “I will not support another open-ended war. We can defend Americans, pressure Iran, and pursue peace while ensuring Congress fulfills its constitutional responsibility.”
He did, however, hint Monday at the possibility of a return to negotiations with Iran, after last week saying the conflict will likely persist until “immediately after the [midterm] election.”
Supports of the Houthi militia group celebrate the capture of Mokkah, a strategic port city on the Red Sea coast, in Sanaa, Yemen, on Sep. 11, 2026. —Mohammed Mohammed - Xinhua via Getty Images
U.S. warns government personnel away from the Yemeni border
In response to growing security risks, the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh prohibited American officials in Saudi Arabia from traveling near the Yemeni border as of Wednesday.
The embassy also published a travel advisory Tuesday, urging Americans to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia, citing armed conflict, Iranian missile and drone attacks, and renewed threats from the Houthis. Tehran has targeted multiple Gulf states housing U.S. military bases through the conflict, and has threatened U.S. energy assets in the region.
TIME has reached out to the White House and State Department regarding the recent developments.
“We’ve been in constant contact with the Emiratis, the Saudis, and others affected in the region. It’s something that the United States Administration is very much on top of,” he continued.
President Donald Trump claimed over the weekend that he had spoken with the Iran-backed militia. “They would much prefer not having us involved, and they’re letting most ships go through. There’s just one country that they’re not too happy with, and we’ll get that straightened out,” he told reporters during a visit to Ireland.
On Monday, a Houthi spokesperson said that the Strait “is free for navigation for all countries except for Saudi Arabia.”
Could the conflict widen?
In light of the joint defense agreement signed between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, Al-Muslimi says that Ankara and Islamabad have greater political latitude to support Riyadh following the contested incident.
But Gerges suggests that support from Turkey and Pakistan would be largely ineffective, and therefore unlikely.
Gerges notes that Riyadh’s aerial capabilities alone are not enough to inflict necessary damage on the Houthis.
Gerges says that “the Houthis have proved to be very resilient, very dynamic, very resourceful, very nimble,” throughout the conflict, maintaining significant control in Yemen.
Oman and Qatar have previously positioned themselves as mediators in the conflict, and they could be integral to any talks moving forward.
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