A military coalition led by Saudi Arabia claimed it had destroyed a drone launched by Houthi rebels from Yemen, who are aligned with Iran, toward Mecca, one of the holiest cities in Islam. The Houthi group denied the attack, and their official, Hazem al-Assad, called the Saudi claim a "worn-out lie." The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, a group of Muslim nations, condemned the alleged attack, calling it "heinous" and blaming the Houthi rebels for ongoing aggression against Saudi Arabia. The incident reportedly took place on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, with one account stating that the drone was intercepted south of Mecca before entering restricted airspace. Meanwhile, reports of explosions were heard on Qeshm Island, near the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Iranian news agency Irna. The Houthi rebels have taken control of parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which is vital for shipping oil and could threaten Saudi Arabia’s oil exports that are rerouted through the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia has issued security alerts across the country, including in Mecca and other cities, due to a series of attacks by Iran-aligned fighters over the past week. This is the first time in nearly a decade that a security alert has been issued in Mecca, according to Al-Jazeera. The Saudi-led military coalition, which is fighting the Houthi rebels in Yemen, has emphasized that the safety of Islam’s two holiest sites and pilgrims is a "red line," and that the coalition is prepared to take necessary measures to deter further attacks. In a separate development, the Trump administration is reportedly preparing to send a significant shipment of tens of thousands of bombs to Israel. This could be one of the largest deliveries of American munitions to Israel in history, despite declining public support for Israel in the United States. According to several American media outlets, the Trump government is considering approving the sale of at least 40,000 bombs, valued at $2.8 billion, to be funded indirectly by American taxpayers. The shipment would include 20,000 MK-84 bombs, which are among the most powerful warheads in the U.S. military arsenal.