Saudi Aramco has temporarily shut down its Ras Tanura refinery after the facility was struck by Iranian drones, raising fresh fears of widespread disruption to the region’s energy infrastructure. Ras Tanura is one of Saudi Arabia’s most critical oil-refining hubs.
Aramco’s media office had yet to release an official statement at the time of reporting. However, Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry spokesperson confirmed to Al Arabiya TV that two drones targeting the Ras Tanura facility had been intercepted.
The attack arrives at a particularly fraught moment for global energy markets. Crude prices have recorded their sharpest four-year surge as the widening conflict involving Iran has effectively paralysed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz the narrow waterway that handles nearly 20% of the world’s daily oil flows. While Tehran has stopped short of formally closing the route, multiple shipowners have suspended transits citing security concerns, creating a de facto chokepoint in one of the world’s most vital energy corridors.
🇸🇦🇮🇷 L’Arabie saoudite a fermé sa gigantesque raffinerie de Ras Tanura (550 000 barils/jour, une des plus grandes au monde) après une frappe de drone iranien.
— DIMÉ (@MakhtarDime) March 2, 2026
Profitez-en pour faire le plein aujourd’hui ! Dans les prochains jours, le prix de l’essence risque de devenir… pic.twitter.com/DaCFY6CSY2
Brent crude climbed to $80 a barrel in early trade as traders priced in fresh supply risks from the Gulf. Markets are now bracing for a prolonged period of instability, with analysts warning that any sustained disruption to Gulf exports particularly if the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively frozen — could tighten global supplies just as demand picks up, potentially reigniting inflationary pressures worldwide.
The conflict escalated sharply over the weekend when the United States and Israel launched missile strikes on targets across Iran on Saturday, calling on Iranian citizens to rise against the Islamic regime. Tehran responded with a wave of retaliatory attacks on Israel, US military bases, and other targets across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
‘Attacks Cannot Be Justified Under Any Pretext’: Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia said it had repelled what it described as “cowardly” Iranian attacks targeting areas near the capital Riyadh as well as sites in the kingdom’s eastern region. Riyadh firmly condemned Tehran’s actions, reiterating that Saudi territory and airspace were not being used in support of US or Israeli operations against Iran.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its rejection and condemnation in the strongest terms of the blatant and cowardly Iranian attacks,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that the strikes “cannot be justified under any pretext or in any way, and which came despite the knowledge of the Iranian authorities that the Kingdom has affirmed that it will not allow its airspace or territory to be used to target Iran.”
Saudi authorities also summoned Iran’s ambassador to the kingdom, Alireza Enayati, in Riyadh in connection with the strikes.
