00:00Okay, let's turn to another big story. We are tracking the crisis in West Asia is now threatening to escalate
00:06out of control with a new front being launched, this time between Saudi Arabia and the Iranian-backed Houthis of
00:14Yemen.
00:15Saudi Arabia today claimed that it had shot down a drone that it alleged was heading towards the holy city
00:21of Mecca.
00:22The Houthi rebels of Yemen have rejected the charge. They claim that they are only attacking oil facilities in the
00:29kingdom.
00:30The Houthis now are controlling some of the key islands in the Babal-Mandeb Strait.
00:36On the back of what's happening in the Strait of Hormuz, West Asia's war is threatening to spiral out of
00:42control once again.
00:43Take a look.
00:52Massive escalation in West Asia.
00:57Dangerous provocation by Houthis.
01:02Drone intercepted near Mecca airspace.
01:06Saudi air defences intercepted a Houthi drone before it could enter restricted airspace over Mecca.
01:12Islam's holiest city has come under attack.
01:17An escalation that could plunge West Asia into full-out sectarian war.
01:24It's the first time the Houthis have targeted Mecca in nearly a decade, since a ballistic missile was intercepted in
01:312017.
01:34The Houthis have denied the accusation, insisting their targets were Saudi oil facilities and military bases.
01:45And there is no threat from Yemen to the holy sites.
01:47Our operations target the oil facilities and military bases, which are entirely far removed from the sacred places.
01:58But the Saudis are up in arms.
02:00Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has warned the Houthis and stated that the security of holy mosque in Mecca is
02:08a red line.
02:09The Gulf Arab kingdom's position is becoming more precarious by the day.
02:16On September 11, Houthis made significant gains along Yemen's western coast, captured Perim Island and tightened their grip on the
02:25strategic Bab al-Mandev Strait.
02:27Greater and lesser Harnish Islands and the Red Sea port city of Mecca have also fallen to the Houthis.
02:34The kingdom's backbone, its very oil economy, is under serious threat.
02:39Last week, Iranian proxy in Iraq launched a drone attack and destroyed Saudi's east-west pipeline.
02:50The 1,200 kilometer carries around 4% of global oil supplies and enables Riyadh to bypass the Strait of
02:58Hormuz.
03:01With its oil lifelines under siege in holy cities now threatened, Saudi Arabia faces a stark dilemma, restraint or retaliation.
03:12And pressure is mounting on the kingdom for a firmer military response as the Houthi threat escalates.
03:19Bureau Report, India Today.
03:21Bureau Report now for
03:23Bureau Report, India.
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