Building collapse in Gaza kills at least 19 people, and other Mideast developments

Many people have been killed after a building housing displaced Palestinians collapsed in Gaza, and Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a drone headed toward the holy city of Mecca.

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Here’s a look at the latest news in the Middle East on Wednesday. Full coverage can be found here.

Cause of building collapse not immediately known

A damaged building in Gaza City housing about six displaced families collapsed on Wednesday, killing at least 19 people and injuring more than 25. Among the dead were at least eight children and five women, according to Zaher al-Wahidi, a spokesperson for the Gaza Health Ministry.

The toll is expected to rise as the search for victims buried in the rubble continues.

Video footage taken at the scene showed civil defense crews surveying the wreckage and using bulldozers to dig out people, including children.

The building had been partially destroyed in an Israeli strike earlier in the war. It was not immediately clear what caused it to collapse.

Such incidents have become a major hazard in Gaza, where the majority of buildings have been damaged or destroyed. Dozens of bombed-out multistory structures have collapsed, particularly during winter weather.

Displaced families have often returned from tent camps to homes damaged by bombardment during the almost three years of war.

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Saudi Arabia says drone shot down near Mecca

Saudi Arabia said the kingdom’s defenses intercepted and destroyed a drone on Tuesday evening before it entered the airspace over Mecca, Islam’s holiest city and a focal point for followers of the faith.

The security of the holy city is “a red line,” military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said, adding that Saudi forces will not hesitate to act against “hostile and terrorist behavior.”

Mecca is the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and the location of the Kaaba, the black cube-shaped structure that Muslims around the world turn to five times a day when praying. Muslims believe Muhammad first received God’s revelations of the Quran, Islam’s holy book, in Mecca.

The Iran-backed Houthis in neighboring Yemen denied targeting Mecca. But the allegation drew condemnations throughout the Islamic world, including from Pakistan and the 57-country Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

More oil tankers appear to traverse critical waterway

Oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz have recovered somewhat as tankers risk using a southern route near the coast of Oman with guidance from U.S. forces. Estimates vary because the ships turn off their location systems but range from 5 million to 7 million barrels per day on average, compared to 15 million barrels per day before the U.S.-Iran war began on Feb. 28.

Another important oil route, Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, was hit by a drone attack last week. The damage is expected to take weeks to repair, potentially cutting Saudi exports from the Red Sea port of Yanbu by 2.5 million to 2.7 million barrels per day.

However, Saudi Arabia has enough tanker capacity to redirect as much as 3 million barrels per day through its Gulf terminal at Ras Tanura and the U.S.-guided Strait of Hormuz route, according to data and analytical firm Kpler.

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This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.