GCC: Targeting Mecca is a transgression of all lines and requires a firm international stance
Agencies3 min read
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The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassem Al-Budaiwi, considered on Wednesday that the Houthi group's attempt to target the Holy City of Mecca with a drone is a "terrorist act" and an "extremely dangerous escalation," which requires a "firm and deterrent international stance."
Al-Budaiwi said in a statement that "this heinous Houthi criminal act represents an extremely dangerous escalation, a transgression of all lines and borders, and a blatant violation of the sanctity of the holiest place on earth and the Qibla of Muslims."
He added that "these terrorist attacks on the Holy City of Mecca once again reveal an extremist approach that does not consider the sanctity of holy sites or the safety of civilians, and requires a firm and deterrent international stance to put an end to these violations and hold those responsible accountable."
Al-Budaiwi emphasized that "any harm to the Holy City of Mecca and its sanctity and security is not only an attack on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but also an extremely dangerous provocation of the feelings of Muslims around the world."
He stressed that "targeting holy sites represents a dangerous level of escalation that cannot be tolerated."
Al-Budaiwi said that the GCC countries "stand united with Saudi Arabia."
He emphasized that "the security of the Kingdom and the security of its holy sites are integral to the security of the Council countries."
He renewed "full support for all measures and actions taken by the Kingdom to protect its sovereignty, protect its territories, holy sites, citizens, and residents on its soil, and deter anyone who attempts to harm its security and stability."
The spokesman for the Coalition Forces, Major General Turki Al-Malki, announced that the Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed, on Tuesday evening, a drone launched by the Houthi group south of the Holy City of Mecca, before it entered the city's restricted airspace.
Al-Malki added that "this hostile and terrorist attempt is the second to target the Holy City of Mecca," after a previous attempt to launch a ballistic missile on July 27, 2017.
On July 20 of last year, the Houthi group announced a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, in response to what it claimed was a Saudi naval and air blockade on the areas it controls in Yemen.
Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia has been leading a coalition in support of the Yemeni government against the Houthis, who have been controlling the capital Sanaa and several provinces since September 2014.
