Saudi Humiliation

Houthis Fire Missiles at Mecca

In an unprecedented escalation, Yemen's Houthi forces launched medium-range missiles toward Islam's holiest city and the Red Sea port of Jeddah, as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman appears powerless to respond.

Gila Isaacson

SEP 15, 2026 13:04

2 min read

The Houthis continue to humiliate the Saudis. Missile alerts sounded in Mecca, Islam's holiest city, marking the first time the site has been targeted. Simultaneously, sirens blared in Jeddah, approximately 70 kilometers to the west on the Red Sea coast.

The attacks involved medium-range missiles with a 680-kilometer range, fired by the Houthis from northern Yemen toward strategic targets in Saudi Arabia. These are shorter-range projectiles than the missiles the Houthis have launched toward Israel (2,200 kilometers), and the group possesses hundreds, possibly thousands, in their arsenals — enough to continuously harass the Saudis.

Over the past two weeks, the Houthis have launched a combined offensive against forces loyal to Saudi Arabia in Yemen, the official government controlling the south and east of the country, and have succeeded in capturing territory extending to the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

At the same time, the Houthis have been firing at targets inside Saudi Arabia, which appears helpless to respond. The Yemeni Shiite forces struck the oil pipeline running from east to west that bypasses both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, damaging Saudi supply capabilities.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is seeking international assistance, but so far it appears that despite his vast wealth, no one is willing to come to his aid.