The Saudi-led coalition has said that oil giant Aramco’s petroleum products distribution station in Jeddah has been hit, causing a fire in two storage tanks but no casualties. It was reported that a huge plume of black smoke could be seen rising over the Red Sea city where the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is taking place this weekend. The Iran-aligned Houthis have escalated attacks on the kingdom’s oil facilities in recent weeks and ahead of a temporary truce for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The coalition has repeatedly said it is exercising self-restraint in the face of the attacks, but launched a military operation in Yemen early on Saturday saying it aimed to protect global energy sources and ensure supply chains.
A coalition statement on state media on Friday said the fire had been brought under control. Flames could still be seen in live footage aired by Saudi-owned Ekhbariya television channel.
The Saudi energy ministry said the kingdom strongly condemned the “sabotage attacks”, reiterating that it would not bear responsibility for any global oil supply disruptions resulting from such attacks, state news agency SPA reported, citing an official in the ministry.
Saudi state media earlier said the coalition had foiled a string of Houthi drone and rocket attacks. Saudi air defenses also destroyed a ballistic missile launched towards Jizan, which caused a “limited” fire at an electricity distribution plant.
Following the recent attach on oil facilities in Saudi’s Jeddah, most countries including Afghanistan have condemned the attack on oil facilities in Jeddah.
In a statement issues by the ministry of foreign affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has condemned the recent attack on Saudi’s oil facilities in Jeddah. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) is saddened to learn about the rocket attacks on oil facilities and civilian targets in Jeddah of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and condemns attacks on civilian targets,” the statement said.
The statement of foreign affairs ministry of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) added that the IEA believed that such acts threaten regional peace and stability and should be ceased.
The Houthi escalation comes as the United Nations special envoy tries to secure a temporary truce for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan that starts in April, and ahead of Riyadh’s hosting Yemeni parties for consultations later this month. Ustad Abdul Latif al Fazli
IEA condemns oil facilities attack on Saudi’s Jeddah
