The political office of Yemen’s Houthi movement has rejected Saudi Arabia’s accusation that it launched an attack on Mecca, describing it as the “biggest lie of the century” and an unfounded claim.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the body said the repetition of such allegations showed that Saudi Arabia had failed to convince public opinion about the continuation of the war and blockade on Yemen. According to the Houthis, raising these claims is an attempt to exploit the feelings of Muslims.<\/p>\n
The Houthi political office also said that Mecca and other Islamic holy sites hold a high place for all Muslims, including the people of Yemen. The statement added that Saudi Arabia cannot present itself as having greater standing than the people of Yemen in protecting these sanctities.<\/p>\n
In the rest of the statement, the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of instrumentalising the religious status of Mecca within the framework of its war. The group also said Riyadh only refers to the sanctity of Mecca when it wants to use it to advance its own positions.<\/p>\n
The Houthis called on Saudi Arabia to stop its attacks, end the blockade on Yemen and review its policies toward the country. The group added that the people of Yemen do not accept domination and the continuation of the blockade, and it said they would continue the policy of “blockade in response to blockade.”<\/p>\n
The stance came after Saudi Arabia claimed yesterday that the Houthis had used a drone in an attempt to target Mecca, but that the attack had failed. The war in Yemen in recent years has been accompanied by extensive accusations between the parties involved, and the blockade and military strikes have left the country facing a severe humanitarian crisis.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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