Saudi Arabian oil giant Saudi Aramco has halted operations at its largest oil refinery in Ras Tanura following an Iranian drone attack.
As reported by Hvylya, Bloomberg confirmed the incident citing its own sources. The strike occurred early Monday morning, March 2, causing a small fire at the facility. While the blaze was successfully localized, the plant temporarily ceased operations. According to sources, the shutdown is a precautionary measure; the situation is under control, and the company is currently assessing the damage.
The Ras Tanura refinery is among the largest in Saudi Arabia, boasting a processing capacity of 550,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
Bloomberg analysts emphasize that strikes on key energy infrastructure in the region represent a worst-case scenario for global oil markets. This is compounded by the fact that maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz effectively ground to a halt on Saturday.
The escalation in the Middle East has entered its third day as Iran confronts the United States and Israel. Following strikes on Iranian targets and the reported death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Tehran has launched massive attacks against American military bases across the region.