{"id":"c7a7ba5b-d962-4ec1-91fa-c24d57af6344","url":"https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3372733/saudi-arabia-says-houthis-launched-drone-destroyed-near-mecca-group-denies","domain":"scmp.com","outlet":{"name":"South China Morning Post","country":"HK","cred":4,"lean":0,"curated":true,"owner":"Alibaba Group"},"title":"Saudi Arabia says Houthis-launched drone destroyed near Mecca, group denies","plainHeadline":"Saudi intercepts drone near Mecca; Houthis deny targeting the city","rewrite":{"model":null,"at":null},"summary":["Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed a drone near Mecca, claimed to be Houthi-origin.","Houthis denied any operations targeting Mecca or the Saudi holy city.","Saudi coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki reported the interception around Mecca.","Houthis state operations target oil facilities and military bases, not Mecca.","The report follows prior claims of missiles/drones directed at Mecca and Medina."],"topics":["Politics","Cybersecurity","Energy"],"lang":"eng","publishedAt":"2026-10-30T09:25:58.000Z","ingestedAt":"2026-10-30T10:12:02.240Z","story":"https://brief.concise.news/story/ae48ed3c-3c37-42f8-b570-160ff900818f","storyId":"ae48ed3c-3c37-42f8-b570-160ff900818f","image":"https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1280x720/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/10/30/bfd38b4e-ed3c-4a77-bf48-99c96589b6d2_b31ede9f.jpg?itok=9HnXpruP&v=1793352348","author":"Associated Press","dek":"Saudi Arabia said on Friday it intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels near Islam’s holiest city, a claim the Houthis denied."}