Saudi authorities said the facility was hit by an Iranian-made Shahed-136 drone. The strike caused a fire that officials described as small, isolated and quickly brought under control
An Aramco tank is seen at Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018. Picture taken May 21, 2018. Photo: REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah/File Photo
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An Aramco tank is seen at Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018. Picture taken May 21, 2018. Photo: REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah/File Photo
A drone strike hit the Aramco Ras Tanura refinery in eastern Saudi Arabia early on Monday, triggering a small fire at one of the kingdom’s most important oil processing facilities amid heightened regional tensions.
Saudi authorities said the facility was hit by an Iranian-made Shahed-136 drone. The strike caused a fire that officials described as small, isolated and quickly brought under control, says the Hindustan Times.
There were no reported casualties or injuries, and preliminary assessments indicated no major damage to critical production systems.
As a precautionary measure, Saudi Aramco temporarily halted operations at the refinery to assess potential damage, reports the Economic Times.
The news of the attack prompted an immediate reaction in energy markets. Brent crude rose to $80 per barrel, up about 8-9% from its previous trading price.
Ras Tanura is one of the largest refineries in the Middle East, with a processing capacity of about 550,000 barrels of oil per day. Its associated port handles roughly 75% of Saudi Arabia’s total oil exports, underscoring its importance to global energy supplies, says Business Upturn.
The strike followed joint US-Israel military operations on 28 February that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In response, Iran and allied groups have launched attacks targeting US military bases and energy infrastructure across the region, including in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.
Iranian officials characterized the response as a “crushing” retaliation with “no red lines”.