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Saudi Arabia said it shot down a Houthi drone near Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, on Tuesday, drawing swift regional condemnation of the Iran-backed Yemeni rebel group.

Turki al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led Coalition Forces, accused the group of targeting the city, saying it was the first time in almost a decade that the Houthis had targeted Mecca.

The claim was strongly denied by the Houthis, who follow the Zaydi branch of Shiite Islam and also revere Mecca as a sacred city.

The group’s military spokesman Yahya Saree said early Wednesday that its targets were Saudi oil facilities and military bases “far removed from the holy places.”

“The fabrications and lies propagated by the criminal Saudi regime regarding targeting Mecca cannot deceive anyone,” Saree said, adding that “there is no threat whatsoever from Yemen to the holy sites.”

Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed the drone “before it entered” Mecca’s restricted airspace, without specifying how close it was to the city.

The rebel group’s swift advance in Yemen and attacks on neighboring Saudi Arabia in recent weeks have put the Gulf Arab kingdom in an increasingly difficult position, facing the prospect of being drawn into a wider conflict, as the US-Iran war drags on.

Mecca is the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad. All Muslims worldwide are required, if they are able, to make the pilgrimage to the holy city at least once in their life, with millions making the journey each year.

“This hostile attempt will also remain a black mark in the record of violations by the extremist terrorist Houthi militia, as a deliberate act intended to provoke the feelings of millions of Muslims,” Al-Maliki said in a post on X, vowing to take the “necessary and deterrent measures” against the militants.

A ‘dastardly and heinous’ act

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a 57-member body representing 1.5 billion Muslims, also condemned the incident, saying the strikes “violate the sanctity of holy sites and mosques” and “instill fear in innocent civilians.”

The prime minister of Pakistan – which recently signed a joint defense agreement with Saudi Arabia – called it a “dastardly and heinous” act. While Shehbaz Sharif did not mention the Houthis in his statement, he affirmed his country’s support for Saudi Arabia.

The interception comes amid heavy fighting. The Houthis launched ballistic missiles and drones at several Saudi cities earlier this week, including Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Taif, injuring 13 civilians. And on Sunday, they claimed responsibility for an attack on a Saudi military base.

In response, Saudi forces launched airstrikes across Houthi-held areas of Yemen last Saturday and this Tuesday, according to the Houthis.

The Houthis have recently stepped up their fighting against Yemen’s Saudi-backed government and have expanded their area of control. Last week they captured a Red Sea port city in Yemen and an island near an important waterway that has, for months, acted as a backup to the Strait of Hormuz, allowing for the export of Saudi oil and refined products.

Over the weekend, Saudi Arabia suspended oil loadings at Yanbu, its primary Red Sea export terminal, after it came under attack from militant groups within Iraq.

No date has been given for its resumption, Ashley Hikmet, Head of Crude at Axis Limited, a trading subsidiary of the Onyx Capital Group, told a news outlet, adding that satellite tracking indicates no Saudi crude has left the Red Sea ports since Saturday.

On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia also cut supplies to Europe with immediate effect, Hikmet said, adding that Aramco notified some customers that supplies would be halted until mid-November. The supply disruptions to Europe were first reported by Reuters.

Aramco has been reached for comment.

Their tightening grip over shipping in the Red Sea has fueled fears that the main escape valves for the region’s oil are slamming shut, as Iran and the US continue battling for control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Oil prices climbed back above $100 per barrel last week following further US strikes on Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf and the fighting in Yemen – sparking protests around the world as people demand government action and economic relief.

In an unprecedented display of constitutional unity, the leaders of Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have signed a joint agreement asserting that no Westminster government has the right to block their nations’ democratic aspirations. The memorandum of understanding, signed on Monday, declares that “Westminster’s time is coming to an end” and affirms the principle that “our people will decide their own future.”

The signatories—John Swinney of the SNP, Michelle O’Neill of Sinn Féin, and Rhun ap Iorwerth of Plaid Cymru—represent a historic first: all three devolved nations now have first ministers who favour leaving the United Kingdom. Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald also attended the meeting.

At a joint press conference, Swinney called the moment “pivotal” in the UK’s constitutional journey, invoking the “inalienable right” of self-determination. O’Neill said the “common cause” was that Westminster “does not and will never serve our people well.” McDonald described the gathering as “historic,” insisting that no prime minister can declare the right to a referendum “off the table.”

However, the leaders struck different tones on timing. While Swinney and O’Neill called for referendums, ap Iorwerth declined to set a timetable for a Welsh independence vote, noting that Plaid Cymru has ruled out a referendum before the 2030 Senedd election. He said it was “up to the people of Wales to decide their own future” and that his job was to “persuade.”

Later on Monday, the Welsh and Scottish governments signed a separate, non-legally-binding agreement to cooperate on pressing the UK government for “greater fairness” in funding and powers, as well as on issues like child poverty and EU relations. Notably, Swinney declined to back reform of the Barnett Formula—the funding system Welsh ministers have long argued disadvantages Wales—while ap Iorwerth highlighted existing Scottish flexibilities that should be extended to Wales.

The meeting drew criticism from unionist parties. Welsh Labour leader Ken Skates accused Plaid Cymru of wanting to “use power to break up Britain.” Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar said the first minister should focus on NHS and education crises instead of independence. Reform UK’s Dan Thomas said ap Iorwerth “apparently has time to tell us what we all know—that he wants to break up the UK.”

In Northern Ireland, DUP deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly accused O’Neill of attempting to “weaponise the role of first minister.” The two roles hold identical powers.

The UK government responded that the prime minister “is committed to delivering change across all four nations” and “believes strongly in the union.” The devolved leaders are set to meet the prime minister next month.

The dynamics in Wales remain distinct. Ap Iorwerth, Wales’s first non-Labour first minister, has prioritised seeking additional devolved powers—such as policing and youth justice—over an immediate independence push. His government plans a national commission to “lay the foundations” for future independence plans. He also said Prime Minister Andy Burnham had “a lot to learn” about how devolution to a nation differs from devolution to a region or city of England.

Burnham recently appeared to soften his stance on a second Scottish referendum, comparing it to the conditions for a border poll in Northern Ireland, before clarifying that another vote remained “off limits.” Scotland voted to remain in the UK by 55% to 45% in 2014.