Yemen rebels attack oil depot in Saudi city ahead of F1 grand prix

A huge cloud of smoke rises from a burning oil depot in Jiddah (Hassan Ammar/AP)

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have attacked an oil depot in the Saudi city of Jiddah in an assault that threatened to disrupt Sunday’s Formula One grand prix.

The attack targeted the same fuel depot that the Houthis have attacked in recent days – the North Jiddah Bulk Plant which sits just south east of the city’s international airport, a crucial hub for Muslim pilgrims heading to Mecca.