Sanaa, Sep 16 (V7N)- Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi armed group has rejected allegations that it attempted to carry out a drone attack near Mecca, calling the Saudi-led coalition's claim an "outright lie."
Hazem al-Assad, a member of the Houthi political bureau, said in a post on X that allegations of an attack targeting Mecca were false.
"The claim regarding an attack targeting Mecca is an 'outright lie,'" al-Assad said, adding that similar allegations had been made previously and "no longer mislead anyone."
Earlier, the Saudi-led coalition claimed that its forces had intercepted and shot down a Houthi drone on the outskirts of Mecca. The allegation triggered renewed tensions in the region.
Houthi authorities have repeatedly denied having any intention of targeting Mecca and have described Saudi-led coalition allegations as baseless.
The latest exchange comes amid heightened tensions between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces in Yemen.
The regional situation has become increasingly tense following mutual allegations of attacks targeting areas in Saudi Arabia and claims of retaliatory military operations in Yemen.
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