Houthis Deny Threatening Mecca, Say Targets Are Saudi Oil and Military Sites

The denial matters less as a factual dispute than as a signal about targeting doctrine: the Houthis are explicitly narrowing their claimed scope to Saudi energy and military infrastructure while disclaiming religious sites. That framing is aimed at external audiences as much as Riyadh, since any perceived threat to Mecca would strip the group of regional legitimacy and invite a wider response. For markets, the relevant question is whether this stated restraint holds if strikes continue, and whether Saudi oil facilities remain the acknowledged focal point.