Shehbaz Sharif condemns alleged Houthi drone threat near Mecca

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday condemned what Saudi Arabia described as an attempted Houthi drone attack targeting the holy city of Mecca, an allegation rejected by the Iran-backed group. He also urged all sides to show restraint, saying dialogue and diplomacy were the only way to achieve peace.

Saudi authorities said several areas along the kingdom's western coast, including Mecca, were placed on security alert on Tuesday after air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of the city. They said the drone was brought down before it entered Mecca's prohibited airspace, while the Houthis denied targeting Mecca or any Islamic holy site.

In a statement, Sharif said, "I condemn in the strongest possible terms the dastardly and heinous attempted drone attack against the Holy Site of Makkah Al-Mukarramah." He said the people of Pakistan were "saddened and perturbed" by the "outrageous act", and added that there could be no words strong enough "to capture the depth of anguish and sorrow" felt by them at the "reprehensible and unforgivable act".

Sharif praised the "extraordinary vigilance, courage and professionalism" of the Royal Saudi Armed Forces for their swift action, and called on all parties to exercise "maximum restraint" and pull back from further escalation. "Our region has already suffered far too much from conflict. Dialogue and diplomacy remain the only sustainable path towards peace," he said. He also said Pakistan stood "unwaveringly shoulder to shoulder" with Saudi Arabia in the defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The incident comes amid wider tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed group, which has carried out attacks on Saudi territory in recent days and threatened maritime traffic in and around the Red Sea. The latest development follows a series of attacks on Saudi territory and critical infrastructure. On September 12, Saudi Arabia temporarily shut its 1,200-km East-West oil pipeline after a drone attack that Saudi Arabia and Iraq said originated from Iraqi territory. The pipeline offers an alternative route for Saudi crude exports to the Red Sea, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping has been severely disrupted by the broader regional conflict under way since February 28.

Saudi authorities also said Houthi missile and drone attacks on September 9 injured at least 73 civilians. Sharif's statement, the Saudi security alert around Mecca, and the recent attacks together underline the growing tensions, even as Pakistan called for restraint and a diplomatic way forward.