Türkiye condemns drone attempt targeting Mecca; Houthis deny the claim

Published 16 Sept, 06:00 Updated 17 Sept, 12:26 Photo: Hürriyet

This story is from 16 September 2026.

Saudi Arabia announced it destroyed a drone south of Mecca on the evening of September 15. Türkiye's Foreign Ministry condemned what it said was a Houthi attempt to target Mecca, while the Houthis denied the claim, saying they had only targeted oil facilities and military bases.

The Foreign Ministry reiterated its call for an immediate end to the attacks. Communications Director Burhanettin Duran and AK Party spokesman Ömer Çelik also denounced the attempt. The coalition spokesman said the drone was destroyed south of the city, marking the first such attempt since 2017.

Türkiye condemns drone attempt targeting Mecca; Houthis deny the claim

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Where reports differ

State and Conservative TRT Haber and Hürriyet reported the incident as a Houthi attack attempt targeting Mecca and highlighted Türkiye's condemnation statement along with reactions from AK Party and Communications Directorate officials.

Opposition and Foreign Evrensel and DW Turkish presented the report as a "claim," and also conveyed Houthi officials' statement that "the claim that Mecca was targeted is a stale lie," as well as the Houthis' counter-claims regarding Saudi airstrikes.