*RIYADH: Imam-e-Kaaba and Head of the Presidency of the Two Holy MosquesSheikh Abdurrahman Al Sudais **responded over missile strikes upon holycities of Saudi Arabia.*

*He strongly condemned what he termed attempts to target Jeddah and Taif by“a body with no religion”.*

In his statement, Sheikh Al Sudais termed the reported attacks an act of“blatant aggression” and showered praise upon Saudi security forces whofoiled the attack.

“These hostile acts are done by a body with no principle or a religion. Itis a blatant and flagrant aggression,” reads the statement.

Earlier on Monday, Saudi Arabia had said that it had intercepted twomissiles from Yemen’s Houthis in Makkah province which includes Jeddah andTaif.

A Saudi coalition spokesman said, “Royal Saudi Defence Forces spottedaerial targets flying through restricted areas in the provinces of Jeddahand Taif and dealt with them as required by the situation,” according toSaudi’s state news agency SPA.

Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV, citing eyewitnesses, reported earlier on Mondaythat air defence forces had intercepted two ballistic missiles above thetwo western cities of Jeddah and Taif and said the first one had beendirected towards Makkah.

The Houthis denied that their missiles were targeting Makkah, the holy city70 km (40 miles) from Jeddah and 50 km (30 miles) from Taif.