Published: 12:11 AM, 17 September 2026
Bangladesh condemns drone attack close to Mecca
A press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) issued on Wednesday states that Bangladesh strongly condemns the reported drone attack targeting the Holy City of Makkah Al-Mukarramah in Saudi Arabia.
The MOFA press release affirms that Bangladesh reaffirms its deep respect for the sanctity of Makkah Al-Mukarramah and the other Holy Sites in the Kingdom and expresses solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its people in protecting those.
Bangladesh underscores that the safety and security of the Holy Sites must be fully respected and protected at all times, the press release concludes.
It may be added that Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of the Islamic holy city of Mecca on Tuesday evening, according to the spokesman of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. Turki al-Maliki said the targeting of Mecca, which is the home of Islam's most sacred shrine and the focal point of the Hajj pilgrimage, was a "disgraceful act".
The 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation said attacks on Mecca and Medina province, where Islam's second holiest shrine is located, constituted an "unacceptable and intolerable transgression".
But the Houthis, an Iran-backed armed group that controls much of western Yemen, denied targeting Mecca and accused Saudi Arabia of "fabrications and lies".
"There is no threat whatsoever from Yemen to the holy sites. Our operations target their oil facilities and military bases, and are far removed from the holy places," military spokesman Yahya Sarea said.
Sarea added that the Houthis had launched drones and missiles at Saudi Arabia in retaliation for more than 450 Saudi air strikes on their territory over the past week.
He also said they had shot down a Saudi fighter jet over Marib province.
There was no immediate response from the Saudi-led coalition, but Major General Maliki did say that its forces would "not hesitate to take the necessary and deterrent measures against the terrorist Houthi militia and its hostile and terrorist behaviour".
On Tuesday, Saudi authorities issued a series of brief security alerts for incoming projectiles in a number of western areas, including Mecca and Jeddah, the kingdom's second largest city.
Meanwhile, the US embassy in Saudi Arabia issued a "reconsider travel" advisory, warning that Houthi attacks had targeted cities, infrastructure, airports, military bases, diplomatic facilities and energy facilities. The latest drone attack close to Mecca has meanwhile hit news headlines globally.
