Abdulmalik al-Houthi called for protests in which images of the Grand Mosque in Mecca were displayed, according to CNN Arabic. The demonstrations came in response to an announcement about "targeting Mecca," the outlet reported.
The call drew condemnation from across the region. Al Arabiya reported that al-Houthi's move angered Muslims worldwide and prompted warnings delivered with one voice, summarized in the phrase "except Mecca." Mauritania condemned the attempt to target Mecca and affirmed its solidarity with the Kingdom, according to al-madina.com.
The same day, Saudi state and local outlets carried Friday sermon coverage from the two holy mosques. The Saudi Press Agency reported on the Friday sermon from the Grand Mosque, while Sabq Online reported on the sermon from the Prophet's Mosque, which addressed differences in provision as a divine wisdom and stressed the sanctity of the two holy cities.
Taken together, the reports frame the episode as a dispute centered on the status of Mecca and the two holy mosques, with official Saudi religious messaging emphasizing their inviolability at the same time as the protest calls circulated.
What to watch next: whether the protests materialize and how Saudi Arabia and other governments respond to the targeting declaration.