RIYADH: Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi has strongly condemned the treacherous terrorist attempt by the Houthi militia to target the Holy City of Makkah with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
In a statement on Wednesday, the GCC chief affirmed that this heinous Houthi criminal act represents an extremely dangerous escalation, a crossing of all lines and boundaries, and a blatant violation of the sanctity of the holiest place on Earth and the Qiblah of Muslims, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
He noted that these terrorist attacks targeting Makkah once again expose an extremist approach that disregards the sanctity of holy sites and the safety of civilians. He stressed that the attacks require a firm and deterrent international stance to put an end to these violations and hold those responsible accountable.
معالي الأمين العام لمجلس التعاون@jasemalbudaiwi: الاستهداف الحوثي الغادر لمدينة مكة المكرمة عمل إرهابي، و استفزاز لمشاعر المسلمين في مختلف أنحاء العالم. https://t.co/gU8sMhJmvL#مجلس_التعاون#المملكة_العربية_السعودية pic.twitter.com/iLJKDjEyZv
— مجلس التعاون (@GCCSG) September 16, 2026
The GCC Secretary-General stressed that any attempt to target Makkah or undermine its sanctity and security would not constitute an attack on Saudi Arabia alone, but would represent an extremely serious provocation to Muslims worldwide. He said targeting holy sites amounted to a dangerous escalation that could not be tolerated.
He further affirmed that GCC countries stood united with Saudi Arabia, stressing that the Kingdom’s security and the safety of its holy sites were integral to the security of all GCC states.
He reiterated the bloc’s full support for all measures taken by Saudi Arabia to safeguard its sovereignty, protect its territory, holy sites, citizens and residents, and deter any attempts to undermine its security and stability.
Saudi Arabia condemns Houthi drone launch towards Makkah
Earlier, Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the terrorist Houthi militia’s launch of a hostile drone toward the Holy City of Makkah on Tuesday.
The Foreign Ministry, in a statement, affirmed that this cowardly terrorist attack targeting the Sacred City, the land of the Divine Message, the place where Revelation descended, and the Qiblah of Muslims, constitutes a repetition of the terrorist Houthi militia’s practices of targeting and violating the sanctity of the Holy Sites and a provocation to the sentiments of Muslims around the world.
#Statement | The Foreign Ministry expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist Houthi militia’s launch of a hostile drone toward the Holy City of Makkah on Tuesday, 4 Rabi’ al-Akhir 1448 AH, corresponding to 15 September 2026. pic.twitter.com/OuqRVdttgW
— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) September 16, 2026
It added that the attempt marked the second effort to target the Holy City of Makkah, following the group’s first such attempt on July 27, 2017.
“The Kingdom commends the vigilance of the Royal Saudi Air Defence Forces, which responded to this attack and successfully intercepted and destroyed the drone before it entered the restricted airspace of the Holy City of Makkah,” the statement said.
Houthi drone destroyed before entering Makkah’s airspace
Official Spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki, in a statement, said the Royal Saudi Air Defence Forces intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone on Tuesday evening launched by the terrorist Houthi militia before it entered the prohibited airspace of the Holy City of Makkah. The hostile drone was intercepted in southern Makkah.
ALSO READ: Saudi Air Defence Forces Intercept, Destroy Drone Attempting to Enter Makkah Airspace
“This hostile and terrorist act is the second attempt to target Makkah, following the first attempt with a ballistic missile on July 27, 2017,” he said.
He described the act as an attempt to target the birthplace of revelation, the land of the message, and the destination that draws the hearts of millions of Muslims from around the world.
“It was also an attempt to terrorise the Umrah performers visiting the Grand Mosque in peace and to harm citizens and residents,” according to the statement.
This hostile attempt will remain a mark of shame on the record of violations committed by the extremist terrorist Houthi militia, as it was a deliberate act intended to provoke the feelings of millions of Muslims, he noted.
