NEW DELHI, September 17, 2026 – India has strongly condemned and expressed deep concern over an attempted drone attack directed near the holy city of Makkah in Saudi Arabia, calling for the urgent restoration of peace and stability in West Asia. According to Saudi authorities, a hostile drone allegedly launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels was successfully intercepted and destroyed by the Royal Saudi Air Defence Forces on Tuesday evening, before it could breach the restricted airspace over the revered city. While a Houthi military source categorically denied targeting Makkah or any other Islamic holy sites, describing the Saudi claims as baseless, the incident has triggered significant regional alarm. Reacting to the development, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the incident is particularly concerning given the profound spiritual significance of Makkah to Muslims across the globe. He firmly reiterated India’s condemnation of any attacks on the sovereign territory of Saudi Arabia, emphasizing that actions endangering civilian lives and critical infrastructure are completely unacceptable.
The drone incident is being viewed as a severe escalation in the renewed hostilities between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthi militants, who have recently seized strategic territories near the vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Saudi authorities briefly issued a high-level security alert for Makkah—the first since 2017—underscoring the gravity of the perceived threat to the two holy mosques and pilgrims. India had already voiced serious concerns earlier in the week regarding continuous Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia’s economic assets, warning that such volatile actions undermine regional stability and severely threaten the freedom of navigation through critical maritime chokepoints. The escalating security situation and the broader West Asia conflict were also key subjects of discussion between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud during their bilateral meeting on the margins of the recent BRICS Summit. Highlighting the broader economic implications, New Delhi also condemned recent Houthi attacks on major energy facilities and the crucial East-West oil pipeline, which play a vital role in global energy supply chains.
Published by True Roots Media Network