A refinery operated by oil giant Saudi Aramco at the Red Sea port of Yanbu was targeted in an aerial attack on Thursday, according to news agency Reuters.
The facility, known as SAMREF, is a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Exxon Mobil. The report said the impact appeared to be minimal.
The strike came shortly after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued evacuation warnings targeting oil installations across Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, including the Yanbu refinery.
The attack also came after the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Qatar suffered “extensive damage” after being targeted in an Iranian missile attack.
The intensifying attacks have heightened concerns about the safety of critical energy infrastructure in the region amid escalating tensions.
The development comes at a time when the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil transit route, has effectively been shut, disrupting global energy flows. With the strait blocked, Yanbu has become the only major export outlet for crude oil shipments from Gulf Arab countries.
The narrow waterway typically handles about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, making the disruption a significant concern for global markets.
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