Under the blistering Arabian sun, the world’s best race car drivers sped around the track of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, surrounded by Saudi Arabia’s glistening waters and modern high-rises. However, plumes of black smoke and the licking flames of orange fire disrupted the clear blue skies, as a rocket attack was launched on an Aramco oil depot not even 20 miles away from the race track. Later that day, Yahya Sarea, a spokesperson for the Yemeni Houthis, claimed the attack was on their behalf.
Nevertheless, crowds gathered and cheered as the race began on Sunday evening, despite the apprehension and discomfort expressed by the drivers.
The Houthis, arguably one of the lesser known rebel groups of the world, are a predominantly Shia Muslim armed force rebelling against the official government of Yemen, having caused a full-scale civil war in the nation that has been ongoing since 2011. The Houthis claim to fight for the sovereignty and justice of the Yemeni people, aiming to end corruption in the official government by overtaking it. Meanwhile, the official Yemeni government has been publicly backed by both the United States and Saudi Arabia, explaining the rebel group’s reasoning behind the Jeddah Attack. Following the incident, the United States condemned the Houthis, shaming them for causing such destruction and fear in the days leading up to Ramadan. However, the attack was not consequential in the slightest: the location and timing of the attack is significant to understanding the message the rebels are sending to Saudi Arabia. 2022 is only Saudi Arabia’s second year hosting a Grand Prix, following major investments in the sport by the country. The nation claims that its reasoning for the sudden interest in motorsport is to open up the world to Saudi Arabia, and cater more to the interests of the Saudi Arabian Youth, but some believe that the actual reason is much more sinister.
Although Saudi Arabia has noticeably advanced when it comes to the question of human rights, there is still a long way to go before it can be comparable to other Middle Eastern countries, such as the UAE. There are beliefs that the purpose of the influx of international influence is to distract the world from the ongoing violations of human rights and other issues within the nation. Notably, one of them being the conflict with the Youthis. While some may believe the explosion was simply due to Saudi's support of the Yemeni government, the deliberation of the attack, so close to the circuit and at the same time as practice, serves as a clear message that they, nor the rest of the world, have forgotten about the issues Saudi faces. It is almost as though they are saying, “We are still here. No matter how much you may distract the world with your new sports events and foreign visitors, we are never going to let them forget the war and misery your country suffers from.” The race is still being reviewed by F1 officials, eager to understand the full scope of the situation. Was the danger of the attack worth the continuation of the race?
Bibliography
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