Houthi attack hasn't affected oil production, Aramco says

During a media visit to its oil facility in northern Jeddah on Tuesday, Aramco told reporters that the tank fire caused by the attack was put out in about 40 minutes and that operations resumed in about three hours. They confirmed that there had been no casualties.

"The supply to the customers was not affected at all. It only demonstrated the resilience and reliability of the company to ensure the energy's continuous supply to its domestic and international customers," said Abdullah al-Ghamdi, manager of the North Jeddah Bulk Plant.

According to Al-Ghamdi, a projectile hit one of the 13 tanks in the facility, causing major damage to the tank's roof with a hole measuring around two by two metres.

The damaged tank remains out of action, he noted.

Saudi Aramco said Tuesday that a strike by Yemen's Houthi rebels on its plant in Jeddah tore a hole in an oil tank, triggering an explosion and fire that was quickly extinguished.

The energy giant took reporters to the distribution facility where damage to the tank was visible the day after the attack, with the top rim left fire-blackened and the railings above buckled from the heat.

The Iran-backed Houthis claimed the strike on Monday, saying they had fired a Quds-2 missile at the facility in retaliation for Saudi Arabia's role at the head of a military coalition that supports the government in Yemen's long conflict.

Saudi Arabia has been targeted with dozens of ballistic missile and drone attacks since the start of last year, including a devastating and unprecedented strike on Aramco's facilities in the country's east.

Washington and Riyadh held Iran responsible for that attack.

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