Medina drone strike blamed on Houthis by Saudi coalition

The Saudi-led coalition has accused Yemen's Houthis of carrying out a drone strike on an electricity distribution station in Medina, a charge the Houthis deny.

Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki said a drone struck the Taibah electricity distribution station at 5:11 am on September 29. He said the station supplies power to the Prophet's Mosque, one of Islam's holiest sites.

The coalition said one transformer was taken out of service, but the wider electricity network was not affected. Al-Maliki said an investigation and drone wreckage confirmed Houthi involvement in planning and carrying out the attack.

A senior Houthi official again rejected accusations that the movement had targeted Islamic holy sites, according to Houthi media.

The accusation came as fighting intensified in Yemen. AFP journalists heard explosions in Houthi-held Sanaa on Thursday evening, while the internationally recognised government's military said it had struck Houthi targets in Sanaa, Saada and Taiz.

Turkey, Qatar, the League of Arab States and Al-Azhar condemned the alleged Medina attack. Turkey said it supported Saudi Arabia and called for steps to prevent further escalation, while Qatar described the incident as a violation of Saudi sovereignty and international law.

The Houthis, who control Sanaa and much of Yemen's Red Sea coast, have repeatedly launched drones and missiles at Saudi Arabia since the kingdom intervened in Yemen's civil war in 2015.