Saudi Arabia has accused the Houthis of targeting the holy city of Mecca, an action that has led to widespread reactions in the Muslim community and heightened tensions in the region. This accusation comes as clashes between the Iran-backed Houthis and the Yemeni government, supported by Saudi Arabia, have intensified.
Military Tensions in Yemen
In recent days, the Houthis have taken full control of the Yemeni Red Sea coast and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital route for Saudi oil exports that is currently under pressure from regional tensions. This group has also threatened to impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia and has attacked its ships in the Red Sea.
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Saudi Arabia and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's Response
Saudi Arabia has stated that any attack on holy sites is a "red line" and will respond strongly to these attacks. In this context, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, consisting of 57 Muslim countries, has also described these attacks as "ugly" and condemned them. Recently, Saudi Arabia issued warnings about potential attacks in Mecca and the southern regions of the country that share a border with Yemen due to security threats.
Statistics indicate that since the onset of clashes in September, approximately 82,000 residents of Yemen have fled their homes. Yemen's permanent representative to the United Nations, Abdullah Al-Saidi, has called on the international community to pay attention to these conflicts and take action against the Houthis.
While Saudi Arabia and Egypt have called for freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, military tensions in Yemen have sharply increased, and the country is making significant efforts to restore its national institutions on occupied territories. Saudi Arabia's efforts to counter these threats come amid reports of the Saudi Crown Prince requesting military intervention from former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, the military spokesman for the Houthis, Yahya Saree, has stated that Saudi Arabia has carried out 52 airstrikes on Yemen in the past 24 hours, attributing these attacks to targeting civilian areas. While Saudi attacks have failed to halt Houthi advances, tensions in the region are expected to continue.
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