Houthi rebels. (Photo - ANI)

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said on Wednesday that drones were intercepted and destroyed in the air over Medina and the Eastern region. The Iran-backed Houthis have denied carrying out any such attack.

Medina is a holy city of Islam, and the claim has raised tensions further. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said no drone was sent towards Medina on Wednesday. He added that no military action was taken against Saudi Arabia either.

Attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis have continued in recent weeks. Yemen and Saudi Arabia, which openly backs the Yemeni government, are among their targets.

Similar Claims Made Earlier Too

Claims of an attack on Medina were made earlier as well, and the Houthis denied those too. On Monday, the Houthis carried out a missile attack on a security forces training camp in Yemen's Shabwa province, killing 73 people.

Attacks have also been carried out earlier on Riyadh airport and oil company Aramco in Saudi Arabia. Flights were cancelled and oil exports were also affected.

Civil War in Yemen Since 2014

A civil war has been under way in Yemen since 2014. After heavy fighting, the Houthis forced the government out of the capital, Sanaa. Saudi-led countries then began military action.

In 2022, a UN-mediated truce largely halted cross-border attacks. In the past few weeks, however, the fighting has intensified again.

Fighting Intensified as Iran's Tensions With US and Israel Rose

The new fighting began after Iran's tensions with the US and Israel increased. The Houthis are considered close to Iran, and it is now believed that Iran is pushing them to carry out attacks.

The Houthis are fighting Yemen's internationally recognised government. The Saudi-led coalition supports that government.