Saudis Call Attempted Attack on Mecca a 'Red Line'

Saudi Arabia accused Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels of trying to attack Islam's holiest city overnight, prompting condemnation from countries in the region but no sign of military support. The kingdom, a key US ally, declared Mecca a "red line" as it slid deeper into the new front of the Iran war, reports the AP. The Houthis denied firing drones toward Mecca, about 1,100 kilometers from Yemen's border. The Saudis said they intercepted and destroyed a drone before it entered airspace over the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad.

The attacks are the first test of a new defense pact among Saudi Arabia, NATO member Turkey, and nuclear power Pakistan. Officials from Turkey and Pakistan, however, say they haven't received a Saudi request for support in response to the Houthis' escalation. The Turkish official added that efforts to "institutionalize" the alliance need to be completed before the pact becomes operational. As part of the condemnation of the attempted drone attack on Mecca, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country and the Saudis stand "unwaveringly, shoulder to shoulder."

Criticism also came from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, representing more than 57 Muslim states, which said the attempt violates the "sanctity of holy sites." This was the second attempted attack by the Houthis against Mecca after the rebels fired a ballistic missile toward the city in 2017, according to a spokesperson for the Saudi-led military coalition fighting the rebels. With the world's biggest oil exporter under fire from the rebels backed by the Saudis' regional adversary, Tehran, the kingdom needs a safe outlet for its crude, as well as military assistance. A path to either one remains unclear.

The Yemen-based Houthis have been targeting infrastructure in the kingdom, as well as its shipping on the Red Sea, where they've seized several islands in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. For now, the United States is staying out of the fight. The US has sold billions of dollars in weapons to Saudi Arabia and has committed to providing training and other support to protect the kingdom, but top US officials in recent days have indicated a lack of desire to get involved in the conflict. "The Houthis called us, and they don't want to fight with us," President Trump said on Saturday, adding that the rebels appear focused on the Saudis. More here.