RIYADH, October 2, 2026 — The Organization of Islamic Cooperation and several Arab states on Thursday condemned a drone attack on a power distribution station in the holy city of Medina, which the Saudi-led coalition blamed on Yemen’s Houthi movement — an accusation the Iran-aligned group denied.
The statements, from the OIC General Secretariat and the foreign ministries of the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, followed a Saudi announcement that the Taiba electricity distribution station, which supplies power to the Prophet’s Mosque, had been struck in the early hours of September 29.
Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki said a drone hit the station at 5:11 am local time (0211 GMT). He said an investigation — including an after-action review and examination of the drone wreckage — had confirmed what he called the Houthis’ involvement in “planning and executing this cowardly terrorist act.”
One transformer down, grid unaffected
The strike knocked one power transformer out of service but did not disrupt the wider electricity network, al-Maliki said. Saudi authorities described the facility as a civilian site supplying electricity to Masjid an-Nabawi, the Prophet’s Mosque, and characterized the incident as part of what they called a broader pattern of Houthi attempts to target the Two Holy Mosques.
OIC: ‘Blatant violation of the sanctity of holy sites’
The OIC said it “strongly condemned and denounced” the attack, describing the targeting of vital infrastructure in Medina as “a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of the sanctity of holy sites,” as well as of international and humanitarian law. It affirmed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia in measures taken to protect its territory and the Islamic holy sites.
The UAE Foreign Ministry said the drone attack constituted “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia and a threat to its security and stability,” reiterating Abu Dhabi’s full solidarity with the Kingdom and support for measures aimed at safeguarding its security.
Houthis deny as escalation widens
The Houthis have rejected the accusation. A Houthi military source quoted by the group’s Saba news agency called the Saudi claim a “lie,” saying it was intended to divert attention from earlier Saudi allegations that the group had targeted Mecca. The competing claims have not been independently resolved.
The dispute comes amid a wider escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. Saudi air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile launched by the group toward Khamis Mushait earlier on Thursday, with fragments causing limited material damage and no casualties, the Saudi Civil Defence said. Earlier reports described Saudi airstrikes on a military base inside the presidential palace complex in Sanaa, and retaliatory Houthi strikes toward Riyadh — a deepening exchange that has raised fears of attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure and airports.
