Saudi Aramco Says Huthi Strike Tore Large Hole in Oil Tank

Saudi Aramco Says Huthi Strike Tore Large Hole in Oil Tank

Saudi Aramco said Tuesday that a strike by Yemen's Huthi 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.

"Unfortunately the facility was hit yesterday by a projectile, by a hostile attack. As you know Aramco has been a target of such hostile attacks," said Abdullah al-Ghamdi, manager of the North Jeddah Bulk Plant. 

"This tank, as you see, is hit from the top side... there is major damage to the roof itself, it's a big hole that is almost two metres by two metres," he said. "It was a big fire, it was a big explosion but it was controlled."

The manager said that distribution from the plant, which provides refined products including jet fuel to the country's west, was restored within three hours even though the damaged tank -- one of 13 -- remained out of action.

"The fire was extinguished in a very short time, it only took about 40 minutes to put (out)