Gaza Building Collapse Kills at Least 12, Including Children; Saudi Arabia Says It Downed Drone Near Mecca
Gaza City collapse leaves at least 12 dead
A damaged building in Gaza City that was housing about six displaced Palestinian families collapsed Wednesday morning, killing at least 12 people and injuring 15, according to Shifa Hospital. At least four of the dead were children.
Dozens of people remained missing or trapped beneath the rubble. Video from the scene showed civil defense crews surveying the wreckage and using bulldozers to reach victims, including children.
The multistory structure had been heavily damaged during the Israel-Hamas war, and there had been warnings about its safety. It was partially destroyed in an Israeli strike earlier in the conflict. The immediate cause of Wednesday's collapse was not clear.
The tragedy underscored a wider hazard in Gaza, where the majority of buildings have been damaged or destroyed. Dozens of multistory structures have collapsed during the war, particularly in winter weather. Displaced families have often left tent camps to return to homes damaged by bombardment, putting them at further risk.
Saudi Arabia reports intercepting drone near Mecca
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia said late Tuesday that its air defenses, which have been fending off attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, had intercepted a drone that the kingdom said was headed toward Mecca.
Saudi military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said the kingdom's defenses intercepted and destroyed the drone Tuesday evening before it entered the airspace over Mecca, Islam's holiest city.
Mecca is the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and the location of the Kaaba, the black cube-shaped structure that Muslims around the world face five times a day in prayer. Muslims believe Muhammad first received God's revelations of the Quran, Islam's holy book, in Mecca.
Al-Malki called the security of the holy city a red line, adding that Saudi forces will not hesitate to act against hostile and terrorist behavior.
The Iran-backed Houthis in neighboring Yemen denied targeting Mecca. The allegation drew condemnations throughout the Islamic world, including from Pakistan and the 57-country Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The reported interception added to regional tensions already inflamed by the Gaza war and repeated Houthi attacks, while Saudi officials sought to present the defense of Mecca as a nonnegotiable priority.
This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.