Iran Aramco Attack: The heat of increasing tension between America and Iran now seems to be reaching the energy infrastructure of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia’s state oil company Saudi Aramco closed its Ras Tanura oil refinery as a precautionary measure on Monday following fears of a drone attack, according to Reuters and Bloomberg reports. Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said the military shot down a drone heading toward the refinery, according to the AP. Saudi military spokesperson gave this information through the official Saudi Press Agency.
The Ras Tanura oil refinery is one of the largest refineries in Saudi Arabia, with a capacity to refine approximately 550,000 barrels of crude oil per day. According to Reuters, an official said that the situation is under control and the fire has been brought under control.
watch video
Videos viral on social media show thick smoke rising from the refinery, although these videos have not been independently confirmed.
Fire in Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, following an Iranian drone attack pic.twitter.com/DmdmhA6L5k
— Michael A. Horowitz (@michaelh992) March 2, 2026
Oil market turmoil
Tension increased across the Gulf region after the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Due to this, an increase of about 9.7% was seen in the prices of crude oil in London. At such a time, attacks on major infrastructure related to oil production are being considered a serious signal for the global market.
Also read- Iran’s counterattack with ‘Patal’: Challenged America and Israel by showing the stockpile of drones hidden in tunnels.
Due to the tension, maritime traffic through the important Strait of Hormuz is already said to be affected. This strait is extremely important for global oil supply. If there is a prolonged interruption in oil exports from the Gulf region, especially if the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, inflationary pressures could increase internationally due to reduced supply and increased demand. Overall, the current situation raises the possibility of prolonged volatility in energy markets.
Comments are closed.