Targeting Mecca.. An Unforgivable Houthi Sin

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Mecca is neither a party to war, nor an adversary in conflict, nor a battlefield that hostile missiles and aircraft may reach; it is the sacred land and the qibla of Muslims, to which they turn in their prayers every day, and where pilgrims and worshippers from various parts of the world come to perform their worship in safety and tranquility. This security that is associated with Mecca and its visitors should not be threatened by war or disputes, no matter how intense the conflicts may be, for this land has a sanctity that keeps it away from the arenas of conflict and its calculations. When missiles or drones approach Mecca, the danger does not stop at the limits of a military event, but reaches a place that God has honored and designated with a sanctity that should not be violated. Allah, the Almighty, said: "And whoever enters it shall be safe" [Al-Imran: 97], and He said: "And whoever intends therein [anything] unjustly - We will make him taste of a painful punishment" [Al-Hajj: 25]. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said on the day of the conquest of Mecca: (This land has been made sacred by Allah since He created the heavens and the earth). Thus, the sanctity of Mecca is a fixed legal principle, and security has been associated with this land since Ibrahim, peace be upon him, prayed to his Lord: "My Lord, make this a secure city" [Al-Baqarah: 126]. When this is the status of Mecca, the arrival of weapons in its vicinity becomes a matter of great danger; disputes, no matter how intense, and wars, no matter how prolonged, should not make the sacred land part of their arena, nor should they make its inhabitants or worshippers vulnerable to their consequences.

Mecca does not belong to one people over another; the Kaaba is not the qibla of the Saudis alone but the qibla of all Muslims, and the Sacred Mosque is not sacred to the people of Mecca alone. Every Muslim hopes to set foot on its land one day, to circumambulate the House and pray in its precincts in safety and tranquility. Therefore, the security of Mecca is a matter that concerns Muslims all over the world, and any danger that reaches its vicinity affects a place that all nations unite in honoring, regardless of their homelands, colors, and languages.

The danger of Houthi weapons lies in that they have brought this threat to the vicinity of Mecca. There is no issue that justifies exposing the sacred land to danger, nor is there a dispute that grants an armed group the right to approach its territory with weapons. The United States reclassified the Houthi group as a terrorist organization in 2025, and a report by the United Nations expert team on Yemen for 2024 indicated that the information gathered by the team suggests that the Houthis received technical assistance, training, weapons, and financial support from Iran and Iraqi armed groups hostile to the Kingdom.

The sanctity of Mecca does not change according to the identity of those who carry weapons; it is a sanctity that must be preserved by everyone. In the face of these dangers, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia bears a significant responsibility in protecting the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors. The Saudi air defense forces have confronted threats targeting the territory of the Kingdom, and the state has mobilized its security and military institutions and resources to protect Mecca, the pilgrims, and visitors, ensuring the safety of those coming to the Sacred House of God from around the world. This protection does not begin at the doors of the Grand Mosque and does not end at its borders; it includes the security of Mecca, its roads, its airspace, and the safety of its visitors. The Sacred House of God is not a battleground for settling scores, and the sanctuary is not a place for sending poisoned military messages. The security of pilgrims and worshippers should not be involved in the calculations of any conflict.

May God protect Mecca from the corruption of the corrupt.