Türkiye condemned the Houthi drone attack targeting Mecca, one of the holiest sites in the Islamic world. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said its support for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and security would continue.
The ministry also called for an immediate end to attacks threatening regional stability and security and urged all parties to avoid steps that could escalate tensions.
Coalition says drone was intercepted before entering Mecca’s airspace
The Saudi-led coalition announced that the drone it said had been launched by the Houthis in Yemen was intercepted and destroyed by air defense systems south of Mecca, before reaching the city’s restricted airspace.
War has continued in Yemen since the Houthis seized the capital, Sana’a, in 2014, while the Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in 2015 to support Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
The Houthis have been clashing again with government forces since July, when they announced a naval blockade of Riyadh. The group claims to have made advances along the Red Sea coast and around the Bab al-Mandab Strait, while also targeting Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure.
Mecca’s peace is a shared priority
Türkiye’s Communications Director Burhanettin Duran also condemned the attempt to attack Mecca’s sanctity and security. Duran said every attack targeting Islam’s holy sites wounds the shared conscience of the Islamic world and stated that Mecca’s peace and security were a shared priority.
Referring to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s calls for dialogue and lasting peace, Duran said the Islamic world needed common sense and diplomacy rather than new conflicts. He reiterated his support for Saudi Arabia.
