By John Hayward, Breitbart News September 16, 2026

The Iran-backed Houthi insurgents of Yemen continued attacking targets in Saudi Arabia on Monday, prompting Saudi authorities to issue civil defense alerts in several southern cities — including, for the first time, the Muslim holy city of Mecca. “The National Early Warning Platform for Emergencies issued the alert, according to the Saudi Civil Defense, without specifying the nature of the danger. It urged residents to avoid crowded and open areas and seek immediate shelter indoors,” independent news site Al-Monitor reported from Mecca on Tuesday.