Saudi Arabia shoots down drone near Mecca as tanker burns in Strait of Hormuz
Yemen's Houthi rebels denied the attack, while British officials reported a tanker was damaged by explosives near Oman.
By Jacob Reynolds ·
A Saudi-led coalition intercepted and destroyed one drone near Mecca on Friday, the most sacred site in Islam. The military group stated the unmanned aircraft was launched by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
Major General Turki al-Malki, the coalition spokesman, confirmed the drone was shot down in the region surrounding Mecca. The city receives millions of Muslim pilgrims annually. The Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree, denied the operation in a statement. He said the group's military efforts target Saudi oil facilities and military bases, not the holy city. Saudi Arabia has previously reported neutralizing missiles and drones heading toward Mecca and Medina. Houthi leaders have repeatedly denied attacking either location.
A tanker caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after a small boat attached two explosives to its hull. The British Army reported the incident on Friday. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency, or UKMTO, said the charges were placed above the waterline. The explosions occurred on Thursday and started a fire in the engine room. The tanker is temporarily out of service. It was sailing about 29 miles northeast of Jissah, Oman. The UKMTO did not identify the vessel or name the responsible party. The crew is safe, and no environmental impact was reported.
The attack follows a claim by Iran's Revolutionary Guard on Thursday. The guard said three tankers hit mines while exiting the strait on an unauthorized route. The UKMTO noted in an early October report that October has recorded the most attacks on shipping in the strait since March. March marked the start of the war with Iran.
In Syria, civil defense teams searched for missing persons in the east on Friday. Flash floods swept through several areas. The Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management said at least five people died on Thursday. Four of the victims were minors. The deaths occurred in rural parts of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. State news agency SANA reported that rescuers saved dozens of people stranded by the water or trapped in vehicles. Hundreds of families were evacuated from internal displacement camps in the north.
The Houthi denial of the Mecca drone attack stands in contrast to the coalition's confirmation. The UKMTO continues to monitor the Strait of Hormuz for further threats to commercial shipping. Civil defense groups in Syria will continue their search operations for those missing in the flood zones.
Source: Stamford Advocate
