Saudi-Led Coalition Accuses Houthis of Drone Attack on Medina Power Station Supplying Prophet's Mosque, Houthis Deny

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen accused the Houthis on Thursday October 1, 2026, of attacking a power distribution station in Medina that supplies electricity to the Prophet's Mosque, one of Islam's holiest sites. Coalition spokesman Gen. Turki al-Maliki said the attack occurred at 5:11 a.m. local time on Tuesday September 29, with investigations and examination of drone wreckage confirming Houthi involvement in planning and carrying out the attack, according to the coalition statement. The strike took one transformer out of service but did not affect the overall electricity network. A Houthi military source, quoted by the Houthi-run Saba news agency, denied the accusation, calling it a lie intended to cover up Saudi Arabia's failure to substantiate its earlier accusation that the Houthis targeted Mecca. Saudi Arabia said two weeks ago it intercepted a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered restricted airspace, describing that as the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca since 2017, while the Houthis denied targeting Mecca or any Islamic holy site.

The exchange represents the most serious fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-aligned Houthis since a UN-brokered truce largely halted cross-border attacks in 2022, with hostilities resuming this year after the Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in July. Attribution and verification remain difficult in the absence of independent confirmation or photographic evidence beyond coalition statements.

Sources

Reuters, "Saudi-led coalition says Houthis attacked power station for Prophet's Mosque in Medina," October 2, 2026, tribune.com.pk France 24, "Saudi-led coalition accuses Houthis of striking Medina power station," October 2, 2026, france24.com BusinessWorld Online, "Saudi-led coalition says Houthis attacked power station for Prophet's Mosque in Medina," October 2, 2026, bworldonline.com Al-Monitor, "Saudi Arabia accuses Houthis of drone attack in Medina," October 2, 2026, al-monitor.com The Nation (Pakistan), "Houthis attack power station in Medina supplying Prophet's Mosque," October 2, 2026, nation.com.pk