Yemen’s Houthi rebel group said on Friday that it had not launched a drone toward Saudi Arabia, rejecting a claim by the Saudi‑led coalition that it had intercepted and destroyed one over the Mecca region. The Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sarea posted the denial on X, calling the coalition’s statement “false” and noting that no operations were carried out against Saudi territory on that day.
Earlier on the same day, coalition spokesperson Turki Al‑Maliki reported on X that a Houthi drone had been intercepted and destroyed in the Mecca area, home to Islam’s holiest city. The two sides have been engaged in escalating cross‑border attacks for weeks, with Saudi airstrikes hitting Houthi‑controlled areas in Yemen and the Houthis firing missiles and drones toward Saudi Arabia.
The dispute comes amid a long‑standing conflict that began in 2014 when the Houthis seized Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, prompting a Saudi‑led intervention in 2015 to support the internationally recognized Yemeni government. The war has drawn in regional and international actors and caused widespread humanitarian suffering.
The Houthi denial does not yet resolve whether a drone was actually sent. The Saudi coalition’s social‑media post said the drone was destroyed; the Houthi spokesperson has not provided evidence to counter the claim.
Analysts say the exchange reflects the continued volatility of the Yemen conflict, with both sides using social media to shape public perception while fighting continues.