Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Amid ongoing attacks on Sanaa, the Saudi coalition accused Yemen's Houthi rebels of attacking an electricity distribution station in the holy city of Medina.
The pro-Iranian fighters, which control Sanaa and Yemen's Red Sea coastline, have repeatedly launched drones and missiles at Saudi Arabia since the start of the kingdom's intervention in Yemen's civil war in 2015. Attacks on Islam's holy cities are, however, rare.
Riyadh, which backs the internationally recognized Yemeni government, had already accused the Houthis in mid-September of carrying out a drone attack against Mecca – a claim denied by the group.
Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki said a drone struck the Taibah electricity distribution station at 5:11AM on September 29.
"The investigation and evidence gathered by the competent authorities have confirmed the involvement of the Terrorist Houthi Militia in planning and executing this cowardly terrorist act," he said in a statement.
The coalition said one power transformer was taken out of service without affecting the wider electricity network.
Al-Maliki said the facility supplied electricity to the Prophet's Mosque and characterized the incident as "a continuation of this extremist militia's attempts to target the Two Holy Mosques."
On Thursday, a senior Houthi official again denied any responsibility for attacks on the holy sites, according to Houthi media.
Medina is the burial place of the Prophet Mohammed and home to the Prophet's Mosque, making it one of Islam's holiest sites alongside Mecca.
Turkey strongly condemned the alleged attack and voiced support for Saudi Arabia, its foreign ministry declaring: "These provocative attacks, which threaten Saudi Arabia's sovereignty and security and target the sacred values of the Islamic world, must cease immediately and unconditionally."
Bombs rattle Yemen's capital as Saudis intensify attacks on Houthis
Loud explosions were also heard Thursday evening in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, which is controlled by pro-Iranian Houthi forces, an AFP correspondent said.
The Saba agency, which is affiliated with the anti-government fighters, spoke of "Saudi aggression" on X. AFP footage showed large plumes of smoke rising above the city.
After several years of calm, Yemen plunged back into war in July, pitting the Houthis – who control Sanaa and Yemen's Red Sea coastline – against the government backed by Riyadh.
Based in exile in Aden in the south, the government exercises authority over much of the south and east – a region that is larger but less populated. Control over airspace reignited hostilities.
Iran sent a plane to Sanaa in July carrying a Houthi delegation without seeking authorization from the Saudi authorities, contrary to the practice in place for the past decade, triggering strikes attributed to the kingdom on the capital's airport.
In response, the Houthis attacked Saudi territory for the first time since 2022. Since then, the hostilities have intensified and the pro-Iranian fighters launched a deadly offensive in early September, successfully seizing control of the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait.
They have also struck Saudi Arabia on several occasions, notably its oil infrastructure, but also the capital, Riyadh.