Al-Sudais Warns Houthis: Security of Two Holy Mosques Is ‘Red Line’
Saudi religious affairs chief condemns reported missile launches towards Makkah and Madinah as Riyadh faces fresh barrage of drones and missiles
By Abdullahi Yusuf
The head of religious affairs for Islam’s two holiest mosques has warned that the security and sanctity of the Two Holy Mosques are a “red line that must not be breached”, after Saudi Arabia reported intercepting two ballistic missiles launched towards the Makkah and Madinah regions.
Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, president of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, condemned what he described as repeated Houthi attacks threatening the kingdom’s holy sites, saying they revealed the group’s “criminal approach” and malicious intentions towards Muslims and their sacred places, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
His comments came after Saudi Civil Defence said on Saturday that response teams had dealt with debris from two intercepted ballistic missiles launched towards the Makkah and Madinah regions.
Debris from the interceptions was reported in Wadi Al-Mughammas in the Makkah region, Al-Nuzha in Jeddah, Wadi Jalil in Taif and Masturah in Rabigh. The Saudi reports did not give details of casualties or significant damage resulting from the debris.
The Houthis denied targeting the two holy cities, describing the Saudi allegation as a “huge lie”.
Al-Sudais said the reported attacks violated Islamic law protecting sacred places as well as international norms, while praising Saudi Arabia’s defensive capabilities.
He said the attacks would not undermine the kingdom’s stability but would strengthen its determination to protect the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The reported missile launches towards the Makkah and Madinah regions were followed by another wave of attacks around Riyadh and southern Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
Saudi authorities issued emergency alerts in Riyadh, Abha and Khamis Mushait as air defences intercepted incoming threats.
The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted and destroyed two armed drones targeting the Riyadh region, followed by a ballistic missile launched towards the capital. A cruise missile targeting Khamis Mushait was also intercepted, while the coalition later reported intercepting 10 ballistic missiles fired towards southern Saudi Arabia, according to Reuters.
The latest barrage came as Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport resumed limited operations after a closure following a deadly Houthi attack earlier this month.
Saudi authorities had reported that the October 10 attack killed 12 people and injured 309 others, while a subsequent attack the following day killed another person, according to Arab News.
The Houthis have also warned airlines and passengers against using Saudi airports, including Riyadh’s airport, which they continue to describe as a military target.
The renewed attacks come amid an intensifying conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, alongside renewed fighting in Yemen involving the Saudi-backed internationally recognised government.
Saudi Arabia has backed the Yemeni government in its conflict with the Houthis, who have controlled the capital, Sanaa, and significant parts of the country since 2014.
The latest escalation has brought renewed missile and drone threats around Saudi cities, airports and critical infrastructure, including areas within the Makkah and Madinah regions.
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