SANAA — Top Yemeni and Iranian officials have vehemently condemned recent claims by the Saudi-led coalition that a Yemeni drone was intercepted near the holy city of Mecca, dismissing the allegations as a “desperate fabrication” designed to cover up military failures and sow discord among Muslims.
The controversy erupted after Saudi coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki claimed that Saudi air defences had intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by the Yemeni Armed Forces before it could enter Mecca’s restricted airspace. The accusation was swiftly and forcefully rejected by leadership in Sanaa and Tehran, who accused Riyadh of resorting to tired propaganda tactics to deflect from its ongoing aggression.
Yemeni Leadership Exposes “Lie of the Age”
In a sharp rebuke, President of Yemen’s Supreme Political Council, Mahdi al-Mashat, called the Saudi narrative a deceptive ploy that can no longer fool the Arab and Muslim world. Al-Mashat pointed to Riyadh’s moral compromises, specifically referencing the recent exposure that textile hangings from the Holy Kaaba were gifted to the late convicted American sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein in 2017.
“Those who gave criminal Epstein the kiswah—the cloth that covers the Kaaba in Mecca—are the ones targeting Mecca and Muslim holy sites,” al-Mashat stated, adding that such claims are as hollow as previous attempts to weaponise maritime security in the Red Sea.
Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the Ansarullah movement, described the Saudi accusation as “the lie of the age” and an “exposed great falsehood.” He emphasised that American, Israeli, and British experts are actively managing the Saudi military’s aggressive operations, adding that Riyadh relies on American aircraft and bombs to wage war on the Yemeni people.
“The Saudi enemy is attempting, through its great falsehood, to compensate for its failures and setbacks on the battlefield,” Sayyed al-Houthi said, accusing Riyadh of trying to drag other nations into its crimes and tarnish the image of a people the Prophet (PBUH) testified to as the people of faith.
Scholars Warn of the “Real Threat”
The Conference of Yemeni Scholars issued a comprehensive statement categorically rejecting the claim as “pure fabrication” by a regime historically known for its deceit. The scholars warned that such manufactured uproars hand the Zionist entity a valuable opportunity to target holy sites and incite regional strife.
Crucially, the scholars clarified where the actual danger to the Two Holy Mosques lies. They stated that “the real danger to Holy Mecca and the Holy Kaaba lies in the American and Western military bases” occupying the Arabian Peninsula. They called on global Islamic institutions, including Al-Azhar, the International Union of Muslim Scholars, and the Muslim World League, to reject Riyadh’s rhetoric and instead pressure Saudi Arabia to lift its unjust blockade on Yemen.
Ansarullah political bureau members and military sources echoed these sentiments, labelling the drone allegations a “worn-out lie” and “an old tactic” used whenever the Saudi coalition suffers battlefield setbacks. They stressed that Yemeni military operations strictly target Saudi military and strategic facilities, never Islamic sanctities.
Iran Warns Against False Flag Operations
In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei also dismissed the Saudi allegations, warning against the politicisation of Islam’s most sacred sites.
“Any aggression against Islamic holy sites... is a condemned act,” Baghaei noted, but added, “A mere claim of intercepting a drone en route to Mecca al-Mukarramah cannot constitute grounds for accusing a specific party.”
Baghaei cautioned that such narratives are often part of false flag operations aimed at diverting global attention away from the crimes of the United States and the Zionist entity, while simultaneously sowing discord among Muslim nations to further imperial agendas.
A Recurring Tactic
This is not the first time Saudi Arabia has leveraged the sanctity of Mecca to generate international sympathy against Yemen. In 2017, the Saudi-led coalition made similar claims about intercepting a Yemeni ballistic missile near Mecca, an allegation that was flatly denied and discredited at the time. As Yemen continues its steadfast resistance, Sanaa maintains that Riyadh’s media propaganda will fail to deter the Yemeni people from responding to the blockade with a blockade of their own.
Reference: PressTv