Saudi-led coalition accuses Houthis of striking Medina power station

The Saudi-led military coalition has accused Yemen's Houthi rebels of launching an unmanned aerial attack against an electrical substation in the holy city of Medina, according to a report by France 24. The rebel group denied any involvement in the incident, which drew widespread condemnation from regional governments and religious institutions.

Coalition officials stated that the strike occurred early on September 29, targeting the Taibah power distribution facility. While one transformer was knocked out of commission, the wider regional power grid remained operational. Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki noted that the affected station delivers power to the Prophet's Mosque, describing the incident as a deliberate effort to compromise infrastructure linked to one of Islam's holiest locations. Al-Maliki said an investigation of the drone debris confirmed the Houthi movement's role in the operation.

The Houthis dismissed the allegations through media outlets affiliated with their movement, stating that they do not target sacred Islamic sites. The rebel administration has controlled the Yemeni capital of Sanaa alongside broad swaths of the country's Red Sea coastal territory for years. Since the Saudi-led intervention began in 2015, the rebels have frequently launched cross-border missiles and armed drones toward Saudi targets, though actions directly affecting Mecca or Medina have remained exceedingly uncommon.

The accusation arrived amid an escalation of clashes across Yemen. Journalists on the ground reported hearing loud blasts across Sanaa, while the internationally recognized Yemeni government announced a wave of military operations targeting rebel positions. Official military spokespersons confirmed conducting an operation against key targets in Sanaa, alongside striking 11 positions in Saada and carrying out 27 airstrikes directed at Houthi military systems located in Taiz province.

Diplomatic and religious entities across the Middle East swiftly denounced the incident in Medina. Turkey's foreign ministry expressed firm backing for Saudi Arabia, describing the strike on civilian utility systems as a provocative violation of Saudi sovereignty and security that affronts Islamic values. Qatari officials similarly labeled the incident a major breach of international standards and an assault on Islamic sites, reaffirming that the defense of Saudi territory remains fundamental to regional stability.

Additional criticism came from the Arab League, which categorized the operation as an intolerable offense that incites anger among Muslim communities globally. In Cairo, Al-Azhar, the prominent Sunni educational and religious institution, also issued a formal rebuke, warning that strikes aimed at Medina offend Muslims around the world and contribute to dangerous regional friction.