Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence on Saturday said shrapnel from intercepted ballistic missiles fell in the Mecca and Medina regions. Saudi's defence forces intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by Yemen's rebel group Houthi toward the Mecca and Medina regions.
Mecca and Medina are the two holiest cities in Islam and any attack on these cities draws global criticism. According to The Jerusalem Post, the shrapnel fell in several locations, including Jeddah, Taif, and Rabigh.
The General Directorate of Saudi Civil Defense in an X post said, "#CivilDefense: The fall of shrapnel from two ballistic missiles launched by the terrorist Houthi militia towards the regions of Mecca Al-Mukarramah and Medina Al-Munawwarah."
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Houthi Continues To Target King Fahd Airport
King Fahd Airport has been attacked previously amid a wider wave of Houthi missile and projectile strikes targeting major airports in Saudi Arabia. One Saudi resident was killed in an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam in eastern Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority said on Thursday eight people were injured in the late Wednesday attack and the airport suffered some material damage.
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The Saudi Coalition announced that it intercepted four drone attacks in the eastern region. Late on Wednesday, the United States ordered some diplomats and the families of US government employees to leave Saudi Arabia following a series of deadly attacks in the country by Houthi rebels and rising fears of an escalation in hostilities.
The latest attack came after Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry said that debris from an intercepted drone killed two people and injured two others at an Aramco-operated oil field in the country's southeast. The ministry said the two people killed were Nepali and Filipino nationals, while the injured were Pakistani and Indian nationals.
Saudi Arabia Called Attempted Attack On Mecca A 'Red Line'
Earlier on September 16, Saudi Arabia accused Houthi rebels of trying to attack Islam's holiest city, as the region responded with condemnation but no sign of military support. The kingdom, a key US ally, declared Mecca a "red line" as it slid deeper into the new front of the Iran war.
Saudi-Houthi Engage In Fresh Conflict
The conflict between the Iranian-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia has been continuing since 2015, when Saudi-led airstrikes and intervention officially commenced. After a lull for the last few years, it has again intensified with the war between Iran and the US.
(With Agencies Inputs)
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