Türkiye condemns Houthi drone attack on Mecca, backs Saudi Arabia

The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Wednesday issued a strong condemnation of a Houthi drone attack targeting the holy city of Mecca, reaffirming Türkiye's solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its backing for the kingdom's sovereignty and territorial integrity. "We strongly condemn the Houthis' drone attack targeting the holy city of Mecca," the ministry said in a statement. "We reiterate our call for these attacks, which also threaten regional stability and security, to end immediately and for all actions aimed at further escalating tensions to be avoided," it added.

Communications chief warns against threats to holy sites

Turkish Communications Director Burhanettin Duran also condemned the incident in a post on X, describing it as a despicable attempted strike against the sanctity of Islam's holiest city. "I strongly condemn the despicable attempted drone attack targeting the sanctity and security of Mecca," Duran said, noting that any assault on Islam's holy sites wounds the collective conscience of the Muslim world and stressing that protecting Mecca's peace is a shared priority.

Yemen war fuels regional instability

The statements came after Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen's Houthi group south of Mecca early Wednesday before it entered the holy city's restricted airspace. Yemen has been gripped by war since the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in support of the internationally recognized government, while the rebel group — which declared a maritime blockade on Riyadh in July — has recently claimed advances along the Red Sea coast.