Houthis deny targeting Mecca after Saudi coalition reports drone interception

The Saudi-led coalition announced Friday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone in the region surrounding Mecca. The group identified the aircraft as launched by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, a coalition spokesperson, confirmed the interception near Islam's holiest city, a destination for millions of pilgrims annually.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree rejected the claim. In a statement, Saree denied any operations targeting Mecca and said the group's military focus remains on Saudi oil facilities and military bases. Saudi Arabia has previously reported intercepting missiles and drones headed toward Mecca and Medina, a pattern the Houthis have consistently disputed.

Diplomatic efforts to end the war between Iran and the United States and Israel continued in Tehran. Qatari mediators returned to the Iranian capital on Friday for talks with officials. According to state media, the delegation was led by the Qatari foreign minister and a senior adviser to the prime minister. The visit followed a letter sent by U.S. Vice President JD Vance to Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. Tehran acknowledged receipt of the letter on Thursday but has not responded.

Tensions also rose in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it stopped two oil tankers attempting to use unauthorized routes through the waterway. The Guard stated one vessel was stopped in the eastern part of the strait and the other in the western part. Both ships had switched off their navigation systems and ignored radio warnings. British maritime authorities reported one vessel on fire northeast of Oman and another attack off the country's northwest tip.

In Syria, civil defense teams searched for missing persons in eastern provinces following deadly flash floods. The Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management reported that at least five people, including four children, died in rural areas of Raqqa and Deir el-Zour. State media said rescue teams freed dozens of people trapped in rising waters and evacuated hundreds of families from displacement camps in the north.

In Gaza, residents expressed skepticism about the impact of Israel's recent parliamentary election on their humanitarian conditions. Ziad Abed, a resident of Maghazi, said suffering would remain unchanged regardless of whether Benjamin Netanyahu or Gadi Eisenkot leads the government. Netanyahu's bloc won 53 seats, Eisenkot's won 48, and Arab-led parties secured 19 seats, leaving coalition negotiations unresolved.