Saudi Arabia says debris from intercepted missiles falls in Mecca region

Saudi Arabia said debris from two ballistic missiles intercepted by its air defences fell in the Mecca region on Wednesday, as the kingdom and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis continued to trade attacks in an escalating conflict.
Saudi state television identified the locations as Sabuhah village, about 35 km (22 miles) northeast of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, and Wadi al-Maghmas, about 21 km east of the mosque.
The missiles were launched towards the region and intercepted and destroyed, Saudi Arabia’s civil defence said in a statement.
The Houthis have repeatedly denied Saudi accusations that they target Mecca and Medina, Islam’s two holiest cities, saying their military operations are directed at military and strategic targets elsewhere in Saudi Arabia.
Mecca, home to sites sacred to Muslims worldwide, is the focal point of the annual hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam, which millions of Muslims undertake each year.