Saudi Arabia’s F1 race in Jeddah will go ahead despite a missile strike by Houthis which caused a fire at an oil depot, with smoke visible from the track.
Practice sessions for the race were affected and after a meeting with drivers, it was announced that the race would go ahead.
Saudi Arabia said it intercepted missile and drone attacks on energy and civilian sites near Yemen, the latest flare-up in one of the world’s important regions for oil shipments.
The Associated Press on Friday reported a fire at an oil depot in Jeddah, just ahead of the F1 race in the city, with Yemen’s Houthi rebels acknowledging that they had launched a series of attacks. The report was unconfirmed.
A statement on the Saudi Press Agency read: “In reference to the hostile operation that targeted the petroleum products distribution station of Aramco in Jeddah, the Saudi Motorsport Co. (SMC) would like to clarify that the schedule of events and activities of Formula 1 stc Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which is currently taking place at Jeddah Corniche Circuit is going on according to the schedule prepared without any change, and that all security measures for the safety of participants, contestants and visitors, which were taken to hold this race in advance are taking place as usual.”
Aramco media officials did not immediately respond to an email and call on Friday, a weekend day in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen intercepted a ballistic missile and 10 bomb-laden drones, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. Oil rose following the reports.
Missile attack near F1 track
The missile was aimed at Najran, in the southwest of the kingdom. Nine drones were heading toward targets in southern, central and eastern regions, the SPA said, without giving details. Another drone, bound for the Red Sea port city of Jazan, was intercepted later, according to the press agency.
A projectile fell on a power distribution station in Samtah, causing a small fire, the SPA said on Twitter. No casualties were reported. A strike also hit the tanks of the National Water Company in Dhahran Al-Janoub, Al-Arabiya reported. Civilian vehicles and residential houses were also hit, it said.
A spokesperson for Yemen’s Houthi groups said a statement would be issued in the coming hours.
There was widespread condemnation of the attack from politicians.
The Arab Parliament issued a statement saying it “Strongly condemned the terrorist Houthi militia’s targeting of Aramco’s petroleum products distribution station in Jeddah, as well as its launch of a number of ballistic missiles and drones towards civilian buildings and energy facilities in several regions in the Kingdom.”
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation called the attacks “A challenge to the international community and the efforts made to end the Yemeni crisis as well as a disregard for all international laws and norms.”
The statement reiterated the UAE’s full solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against these terrorist attacks.
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