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Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz Al-Sudais the president general for the affairs of the Two Holy Mosques expressed strong condemnation of the Houthi militia’s actions on behalf of the imams preachers and scholars of the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. The statement released on September 17 described the drone launch toward Makkah as a cowardly terrorist act that targets the holiest sites in Islam and disregards the sentiments of more than 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide. Al-Sudais warned that history shows divine retribution for those who seek harm to the Haram citing Quranic verses that promise painful punishment for those intending evil there. The presidency affirmed that such aggressions represent a desperate attempt to destabilize the Kingdom and undermine its role as custodian of the holy sites.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier detailed how Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces intercepted and destroyed the drone before it could enter Makkah’s restricted airspace following the September 15 launch. The ministry’s statement issued September 16 noted that this marked the second such Houthi attempt to target the city after an initial effort in July 2017. The Kingdom called on the international community to firmly condemn these violations and to hold the Houthi militia accountable for threats to holy sites civilian facilities and maritime navigation. Saudi Press Agency reports placed the condemnation within a broader pattern of Houthi attacks that have included strikes on economic infrastructure across the Kingdom.
Qatar strongly denounced the incident describing any threat to Makkah’s sanctity as a dangerous escalation that disregards the site’s significance to more than one billion Muslims. The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and support for all measures needed to protect the holy sites and national territory according to a Saudi Press Agency dispatch on September 17. Egypt issued a similar condemnation calling the attempt a flagrant violation of religious values and international law while affirming that Saudi security forms an integral part of Arab national security. Sudan’s government joined the chorus of rebukes terming the drone strike a blatant provocation against all Muslims and reiterating support for the Kingdom’s right to defend its lands and holy places.
The Muslim World League has consistently condemned Houthi actions against Saudi territory including previous attacks on civilian and economic targets that threaten regional stability and global trade routes. Secretary-general Sheikh Mohammed Al-Issa has repeatedly stressed that such aggressions violate religious moral and humanitarian principles according to multiple Saudi Press Agency statements issued in recent years. The league’s positions align with broader GCC and international calls for accountability emphasizing the need to shield the Two Holy Mosques from any form of conflict or exploitation. These religious and diplomatic responses underscore the unified stance against attempts to involve sacred spaces in political or military disputes.
Al-Sudais emphasized that the latest incident reflects a deep-seated hostility toward Muslim sanctities and serves as a reminder of the Kingdom’s responsibility to safeguard pilgrims and visitors to the holy sites. The statement reiterated that every aggressor against the Haram has ultimately faced consequences highlighting lessons from historical events involving threats to Makkah. Saudi authorities have maintained heightened vigilance around the Two Holy Mosques particularly during periods of regional tension to ensure the safety of millions of annual visitors. The presidency called for global awareness of the gravity of such attacks that strike at the spiritual heart of the Islamic world.
The September 15 incident occurred amid ongoing Houthi hostilities that have included missile and drone strikes on various Saudi regions since 2015 with the air defense systems successfully neutralizing the majority of threats. Saudi Press Agency coverage of the event and subsequent condemnations highlighted the contrast between the militia’s actions and the Kingdom’s commitment to hosting pilgrims from around the world in peace. International bodies and Muslim organizations have echoed the call for de-escalation and respect for holy sites framing the Houthi attempt as an affront not only to Saudi Arabia but to the entire Muslim ummah.
