Gulf Cooperation Council Condemns Reported Drone Attack in Saudi Arabia
Secretary-General Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi expressed solidarity with Riyadh after Saudi authorities reported casualties in Taif following the interception of a drone.
The GCC secretary-general condemned a reported Ansarullah drone attack in Saudi Arabia’s Taif province and reaffirmed the council’s support for Riyadh. Saudi authorities reportedly said one person was killed and two injured after a drone was intercepted and debris fell, but the available evidence does not independently verify responsibility for the attack.
The secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi, condemned what was described as an Ansarullah drone attack targeting Saudi Arabia’s Taif province, according to a statement published by the council and reported by Iran’s IRNA on September 17, 2026.
Albudaiwi characterized the reported attacks and the alleged repeated targeting of civilian and populated areas as a dangerous escalation and a violation of international laws and treaties. He called for a firm international response, an end to the attacks and accountability for those responsible.
The GCC secretary-general also reaffirmed the council’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia and said member states supported Riyadh’s efforts to protect its security, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The statement places the incident within the broader regional confrontation involving Saudi Arabia and Ansarullah, while emphasizing the GCC’s collective security position.
Saudi Arabia’s aid and rescue organization separately reported that one person was killed and two were injured in Taif after a drone was intercepted and destroyed and debris fell in the province. The available evidence does not independently verify the attribution of the drone to Ansarullah, the precise target or the circumstances surrounding the casualties. The account of the incident and the GCC’s characterization should therefore be understood as claims reported by the cited source.