Thick smoke rose over the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah on Friday as the kingdom’s air defence intercepted waves of Houthi strikes in a major escalation of near-daily attacks. The National’s reporter at the scene of the explosion at an Aramco facility near the airport in Jeddah said a thick black cloud was billowing across the city. The Saudi-led coalition said that the Iran-backed Houthi rebels hit two holding tanks at the Aramco facility in Jeddah. A Houthi spokesman confirmed the group was responsible for the attacks. A cloud of smoke rises from a burning oil depot in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, March 25, 2022. AP Brig Gen Turki Al Maliki, coalition spokesman, said the Aramco oil distribution plant was hit at 5.25pm local time which led to a fire at the site. The fire was brought under control by a civil defence team with no casualties reported. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy confirmed that the oil distribution plant in Jeddah as well as Al Mukhtara station in Jazan had been hit by a projectile. “The kingdom stresses the importance of the international community being aware of the danger of Iran continuing to provide the terrorist Houthi militias with ballistic missile and advanced drone technologies, with which they target oil and gas production sites and their derivatives in the kingdom,” a ministry source said. The Iran-backed Yemeni rebels fired at least 16 projectiles at civilian infrastructure in the regions of Jeddah, Najran, Jazan and Dhahran Al Janoub. Although the coalition said forces had shot down the projectiles, they caused a small fire at an electricity distribution facility in the Jazan town of Samtah. There was also flooding around the national water company in Dhahran Al Janoub after the site was hit. Residents told The National said they felt their houses shake during the attack in Jeddah. Images released by the Saudi Press Agency also showed some damage to civilian vehicles, residential areas and shops in Dhahran Al Janoub. Thick smoke covers part of Jeddah city after an Aramco oil facility was hit by a Houthi projectile. Mariam Nihal / The National “We are exercising restraint and reserve the right to respond in a timely manner,” the coalition said before planned talks between Yemeni parties in Riyadh. The coalition, which supports Yemen’s internationally recognised government, said six drones were destroyed in the early hours of Friday and three others were intercepted later in the day before the attacks on Jazan and Dhahran Al Janoub. Attack before Formula One weekend The attack on the Aramco facility in Jeddah happened 19 kilometres from the circuit hosting Formula One’s Saudi Grand Prix. Formula One says the race will continue “as planned” after a meeting with drivers and team bosses. Speaking after Friday’s meeting, Haas team boss Gunther Steiner told ServusTV: “We were assured by the government that it is safe to drive here. After practice, we’ll have another meeting. “Personally, I feel absolutely safe. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here.” Ralph Boschung of Switzerland and Campos Racing (15) drives on the track during qualifying for Round 2: Jeddah of the Formula 2 Championship at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on March 25, 2022. Getty Images Fans told The National they were terrified and that they had left as soon as they heard the explosion. “They are purposely doing this to Saudi Arabia that is hosting a world-class event [Formula One] to try and tarnish its reputation to show that it’s unsafe when in fact, it is not true,” Fatima, a visitor to the Formula One track, said. “I was scared for my life and my family, we all made calls home to let our families know we are safe. I am devastated and shaken.” Rockets were also fired towards Najran and Jazan near the Yemeni border, Saudi state media reported. “The hostile attempts deliberately target civilian infrastructure and energy installations, and the continuation of the Houthis’ hostilities threatens regional and international security,” the coalition said. “We support the Gulf and international stance for the success of the Yemeni talks while the Houthis are trying to thwart them,” the coalition added. READ MORE UAE ‘strongly condemns’ Houthi attempts at targeting oil tankers in Red Sea Earlier this week, the coalition destroyed two explosive-laden boats that the Houthis were reportedly planning to use in attacks on oil tankers in the southern Red Sea. The UAE strongly condemned the rebels’ latest attempt to target shipping in the Red Sea. “The UAE also underlines that the security of the UAE and Saudi Arabia are indivisible and that any threat facing the kingdom is considered a threat to the security and stability of the UAE,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation said. Washington condemned “unacceptable” attacks by Yemen’s Houthis, State Department deputy spokesperson Jalina Porter said on Friday, adding the United States would continue to work with Saudi Arabia to strengthen its defences. Oil prices rebound after attack The strikes come days after Houthi attacks damaged critical energy plants in the kingdom, temporarily cutting Saudi Arabia’s oil production and pushing the already high Brent benchmark oil price up to $114.68 per barrel. Oil prices rose on Friday, rebounding from early losses as traders rushed to buy. Brent crude rose $1.20, or 0.7 per cent, to $119.92 a barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude was up $1.04, or 0.9 per cent, to $113.34. Both had dropped more than $3 earlier and the benchmarks were heading for their first weekly gains in three weeks. Brent was on track for a 10 per cent weekly jump and WTI for an 8 per cent rise.