The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has accused the Houthi movement of carrying out a drone attack on the Taibah electricity distribution station in Medina, which supplies power to the Prophet’s Mosque.
According to Major General Turki Al-Maliki, the coalition’s spokesperson, the strike took place at 5:11 AM on September 29, 2026, disabling a power transformer but leaving the broader municipal electrical network unaffected.
Coalition officials stated that wreckage and operational evaluations confirmed Houthi responsibility, condemning the strike as a dangerous escalation targeting civilian infrastructure near Islam’s holy sites.
Houthi officials rejected the allegations, dismissing Riyadh’s claims as fabrications intended to deflect from prior military and operational issues.
Responsibility for the attack remains a matter of contention between Saudi allegations and Houthi denials, as independent verification confirming the exact perpetrator is unavailable.
The Taibah electricity station is a crucial component of Medina’s municipal infrastructure.
The Saudi-led coalition noted that the facility provides power linked to the Prophet’s Mosque.
Major General Al-Maliki stressed that targeting a civilian installation servicing one of Islam’s holiest sites forms part of what Riyadh characterizes as ongoing attempts to threaten Mecca and Medina.
Saudi authorities reiterated that security forces will maintain active countermeasures to safeguard both holy cities and visitors.
This incident unfolds amid a sharp upswing in friction between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi movement.
Reuters reports that the escalation marks one of the most severe spikes between the two sides since the UN-brokered truce of 2022 significantly curtailed cross-border strikes.
In recent weeks, Saudi authorities have blamed the Houthis for multiple drone and missile attempts targeting the kingdom and vital assets, whereas Houthi leadership maintains that their military actions are intended to exert pressure on Riyadh and its allies in the Yemen conflict.
The regional security fallout has extended directly into civil aviation.
On September 30, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued a conflict zone warning advising commercial carriers regarding safety risks within parts of Saudi airspace, directly citing the uptick in Houthi drone and missile activity.
The prolonged conflict in Yemen remains one of the most volatile geopolitical flashpoints in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government, while the Houthi movement maintains firm control over large parts of the country’s north, including the capital city of Sanaa.
Over recent years, Houthi military actions have frequently targeted strategic infrastructure within Saudi Arabia as well as commercial and naval shipping lanes across the Red Sea.
In response, Riyadh has continually executed aerial and defensive countermeasures to neutralize perceived threats.
This latest escalation around Medina has intensified international anxiety regarding the cross-border spillover of the Yemeni conflict, particularly as critical civilian and municipal infrastructure becomes directly embroiled in active hostilities.
Major General Turki Al-Maliki reiterated that the kingdom will maintain aggressive defensive postures to safeguard the Two Holy Mosques and protect civilian populations and pilgrims.
While the direct intent behind the strike remains contested—with Houthi leadership denying responsibility and dismissing the allegations—the incident highlights the fragile security architecture governing the region.
Sustained military friction between Riyadh and the Houthis threatens not only bilateral stability but also broader commercial maritime security across the Red Sea corridor and the wider Middle East.
To date, the officially verified facts confirm that the Taibah power station in Medina was struck on September 29, resulting in the failure of a single transformer while leaving the broader municipal electrical grid unaffected.
The Saudi-led coalition has blamed the Houthi movement for the attack, an accusation that Houthi leadership categorically rejects.