Medina, a holy city in Islam.
Houthis deny launching drone at Medina
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The Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis on Friday denied launching a drone toward Medina after the Saudi-led coalition reported intercepting and destroying an unmanned aircraft over the Medina region.
In a statement, the Houthis said they had not carried out any operation targeting Saudi territory.
The group dismissed Saudi Arabia's claims of intercepting a drone over Medina as "blatant fabrications," accusing the Saudi government of spreading false allegations against them.
The statement described the accusations as evidence of what it called the Saudi regime's "moral and ethical bankruptcy,” according to their military spokesperson Yahya Saree.
The denial came after Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki announced that air defenses had intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by the Houthis toward Saudi Arabia.
The coalition also reported intercepting a cruise missile targeting western Saudi Arabia on Friday, according to Anadolu Agency.
The latest exchange comes amid escalating cross-border hostilities between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, who control Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and large parts of the country.
Escalating attacks
The Houthis claimed on Thursday that they had carried out six military operations against Saudi targets, including oil facilities, airports and military installations.
The claims have not been independently verified.
The Saudi-led coalition has also reported intercepting drones and ballistic missiles launched toward the kingdom in recent days, including incidents involving the Holy regions of Mecca and Medina.
The coalition intervened in Yemen's civil war in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government, following the Houthis' seizure of Sanaa in September 2014.
The latest escalation is unfolding amid the wider US-‘Israeli’ war on Iran.
