Riyadh,(Parliament Times): Saudi Arabia temporarily shut down its largest domestic oil refinery on Monday following a drone strike, as escalating hostilities across the Middle East disrupted key energy facilities in multiple countries.
A source confirmed that the 550,000 barrels-per-day Ras Tanura refinery, operated by Saudi Aramco, was closed as a precaution. The refinery forms part of a major energy complex on the kingdom’s Gulf coast and also functions as a vital export terminal for Saudi crude.
According to Saudi authorities, two drones were intercepted at the facility, with falling debris sparking a minor fire. The spokesperson for the Saudi defence ministry told Al Arabiya that the situation was quickly brought under control and no injuries were reported. The Saudi Press Agency, Saudi Press Agency, quoted an energy ministry official as saying that while some refinery units were suspended as a safety measure, domestic fuel supplies remain unaffected.
The refinery shutdown comes amid a broader wave of attacks that has rattled energy infrastructure across the region. In Iraqi Kurdistan, companies including DNO, Gulf Keystone Petroleum, Dana Gas and HKN Energy halted production at their oil fields as a precaution, though no physical damage was reported. The region had been exporting around 200,000 barrels per day via pipeline to Türkiye’s Ceyhan port.
Off Israel’s coast, the massive Leviathan gas field, operated by Chevron, was shut down over the weekend, while Energean suspended operations at its floating production vessel serving smaller gas fields.
The growing instability has also disrupted maritime traffic through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a corridor through which roughly 20 percent of global oil consumption passes. Shipping activity slowed significantly after vessels were reportedly attacked near the waterway. As a result, Brent crude prices surged nearly 10 percent on Monday, climbing above $82 per barrel.
Analysts warn that the targeting of Ras Tanura marks a serious escalation in regional tensions. Torbjorn Soltvedt, principal Middle East analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, said the attack places Gulf energy infrastructure firmly in the crosshairs and could push Saudi Arabia and neighbouring states closer to direct military alignment with the United States and Israel against Iran.
Saudi energy facilities have faced major attacks before, most notably in 2019 when drone and missile strikes on the Abqaiq and Khurais plants temporarily disrupted more than half of the kingdom’s crude production. The latest developments have renewed concerns over global energy security and supply stability.