For the first time in recent history, an emergency aerial threat warning was sounded in the holy city of Mecca, alongside Jeddah and Taif, following a barrage of ballistic missiles fired by Iran-backed Houthi militias. Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Civil Defense issued the urgent alert on Tuesday afternoon, instructing residents to seek immediate indoor shelter and avoid crowded or open areas. The warning for Mecca—located roughly 70 kilometers inland from the Red Sea—was lifted approximately three hours later, though authorities continued to urge citizens to avoid gatherings and refrain from filming the situation.
Escalating Cross-Border Attacks
The alerts on the western coast were triggered by a massive Houthi missile barrage, prompting the Saudi Air Force to launch retaliatory strikes against Houthi targets near Taiz, Yemen. This escalation follows a violent series of drone and ballistic missile attacks launched by the Yemen-based group just a day prior, which targeted Saudi air bases and southern cities, leaving 13 people injured. According to reports, warning sirens were also activated in several other critical Saudi cities on Tuesday morning, including Abha, Jazan, AlUla, and Yanbu, the kingdom’s primary oil-exporting terminal on the Red Sea.
Strategic Chokepoints and Regional Conflict
These high-level security alerts coincide with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s state visit to Egypt for diplomatic talks with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Meanwhile, the Houthis are making aggressive territorial gains to control vital global shipping routes. Last week, the militia claimed control of Yemen’s western coast and Mayun Island, strategically positioning themselves in the middle of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait—less than 130 kilometers from Camp Lemonnier, the main US military base in Africa.
Growing Threat to Maritime Shipping
Adding to the geopolitical tension, the Houthi rebels announced on Monday the capture of the Greater and Lesser Hanish Islands in the southern Red Sea. These strategic advances significantly bolster the group’s ability to choke international maritime traffic. This push comes as Saudi-backed Yemeni forces struggle to regain territory near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The strait has become an increasingly critical alternative shipping route after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, a direct retaliation to US President Donald Trump’s bombing campaign against the Islamic Republic that began on February 28.
