Six foreign pilgrims were injured when a suicide bomber targeting Islam’s holiest place, Mecca blew himself up, the Interior Ministry said.
The incident occurred on Friday around the Grand Mosque where multiple thousands of people gathered for early afternoon prayers.
A spokesperson for the Ministry, General Mansour al-Turki said that police “foiled” the terrorist plan that targeted the security of the Mosque, pilgrims, and worshipers.”
In dawn raids, Jeddah officers arrested five suspects, including a woman, before surrounding the bomber's location around the Grand Mosque.
"Unfortunately he started shooting towards security personnel once he noticed their presence in the area, which led to an exchange of fire before he blew himself up," Turki said.
The effect of the blast resulted in the collapse of a building where he had taken refuge, injuring the six pilgrims.
He added that four victims in the explosion had already been released from the hospital. Five security men were also slightly injured.
Since late 2014 Saudi Arabia has faced periodic bombings and shootings claimed by ISIS.
Purported images from the scene that circulated on social media showed an alley filled with bricks and other debris apparently from a blast.
Near the end of Ramadan, last year in the Saudi city of Medina four security officers died in an explosion close to Islam's second holiest site, the Prophet's Mosque.
It was one of three suicide blasts around the kingdom on the same day, in which a total of seven people were believed killed. The others occurred in Jeddah and in the Gulf city of Qatif.
The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) said those attacks bore the hallmarks of ISIS.
Most of the targets in Saudi Arabia have been the Shiite minority and security forces, killing dozens of people.
Since July last year police have arrested around 40 people, including Saudis and Pakistanis, for alleged extremist links.
Saudi Arabia's counter-terrorism capabilities -- which for years were led by Prince Mohammed bin Nayef -- are well-regarded internationally.
On Wednesday King Salman stripped-down Prince Mohammed from his posts of the crown prince, and was replaced as heir to the throne by Mohammed bin Salman.
AMandeep
