Houthi leader denies targeting Mecca amid escalating tensions with Saudi Arabia

Yemen's Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi on Thursday rejected accusations that his group had attempted to attack the Islamic holy city of Mecca, calling the allegation "fabrication and misinformation" amid escalating hostilities with Saudi Arabia.

In a televised address carried by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV, al-Houthi said claims that Houthi forces had targeted Mecca were a "lie," arguing that the accusation was being used to mobilize broader support for what he described as "military measures imposed on Yemen."

His remarks came a day after Saudi Arabia publicly accused the Houthis of launching a drone toward Mecca. Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki said the incident was the second alleged Houthi attempt to target Mecca, following what the coalition described as a ballistic missile attack on July 27, 2017.