Multiple sources have reported that a drone attack has hit a key facility of Saudi Aramco , the country’s state-owned oil company, in Ras Tanura, eastern Saudi Arabia . The facility is the largest oil refinery used to meet Saudi Arabia’s domestic needs.
A Saudi government official confirmed the attack took place on Wednesday morning. Reuters , citing two sources familiar with the attack , said a drone struck the Ras Tanura refinery area. There were no initial reports of major damage.
A Saudi Defense Ministry spokesman said initial investigations indicated it was a drone strike. There was no immediate word on the impact on the facility’s production or supply chain.
The attack came just two days after Saudi air defenses shot down two drones targeting the same refinery on Monday. The refinery was temporarily shut down after debris from the drones caught fire. The news of the new attacks has raised concerns across the region.
Neither Saudi Arabia nor Iran has officially claimed responsibility, but direct and indirect confrontations between Iran, Israel, and their allies have escalated dramatically in recent weeks.
Separate drone strikes claimed in Israel
Meanwhile, the pro-Iranian Lebanese armed group Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for a drone attack on the headquarters of Israel Aerospace Industries in central Israel , as well as an Israeli military drone control base.
Israel Aerospace Industries produces critical equipment for both the military and civilian sectors, including fighter jets, missile defense systems, drones, satellites and space technology. Israeli authorities have not yet released details on damage or casualties.
According to analysts, the news of attacks on strategic installations in both Saudi Arabia and Israel is further intensifying the fear of direct regional conflict in the Middle East.