Drone Interception Debris Kills One in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia said debris from an intercepted Houthi drone killed a Yemeni resident and injured a Saudi citizen and a Pakistani resident in Taif, with buildings and vehicles damaged and the Pakistani victim reportedly in critical condition. The incident followed Saudi Arabia’s announcement that it had intercepted another Houthi-launched drone south of Mecca before it entered the holy city’s restricted airspace; the Houthis denied targeting Mecca or Medina and called the accusation fabricated, saying their operations target military and oil facilities. Arab and Islamic organizations, Türkiye, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain and the European Union condemned the reported attacks, while Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi called for protests against Saudi Arabia’s blockade of Yemen. The attacks, which Saudi Arabia said included missile and drone strikes that injured 13 civilians and damaged property in several cities, intensified concerns about threats to Saudi territory and energy infrastructure; the Houthis also claimed to have downed a Saudi F-15 over Yemen, an allegation Riyadh did not confirm. Saudi Arabia reportedly sought air-defense assistance from France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt amid interceptor shortages, while the United States declined direct intervention; separately, Washington approved a $24.3 billion F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia, and U.N.-backed experts said two U.S. strikes in Iran at the start of the war may have constituted war crimes.