Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have targeted Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura oil refinery, the biggest in the kingdom, in a fresh strike on its energy infrastructure on the Gulf coast. A fire broke out near the oil export hub early on Tuesday and was later contained.
The Houthis said on Tuesday that they had launched an attack on the refinery, according to a Reuters report. Saudi authorities have not confirmed that the refinery itself was hit.
Saudi Arabia contained a fire near its biggest oil export terminal at Ras Tanura after an attack in the region, according to a Bloomberg report that cited a person with knowledge of the matter. The blaze broke out near facilities run by state producer Saudi Aramco.
Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles that the Houthis launched towards the kingdom's eastern region.
Why Ras Tanura matters
Ras Tanura is on the Gulf coast in the east of the kingdom. It has the country's biggest refinery, crucial facilities for loading oil tankers and a large number of storage tanks, Bloomberg reported. It is one of the world's largest oil export terminals.
The hub has gained more weight this year. When the conflict with Iran began in February, Iran blocked much of the traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Aramco then began sending most of its exports from its Red Sea coast, according to Bloomberg.
Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure has come under repeated attack from the Houthis in recent weeks. Bloomberg reported that Aramco's headquarters, a major oil field and refineries in the western region were targeted.
Both sides have held off major military operations in recent weeks. Saudi Arabia has also faced attacks from Iran-backed groups, including the Houthis in Yemen and militias in Iraq, Bloomberg reported.
The Houthis have been at war with a Saudi-led coalition since 2015 and control Sanaa and much of northern Yemen. They have long targeted Saudi oil sites.
In 2019, an attack on Aramco's Abqaiq and Khurais facilities, which the Houthis claimed, temporarily knocked out more than 5 per cent of global oil supply. In March 2021, the Houthis hit Ras Tanura with drones and missiles. It was the first time the group had reached Aramco facilities in the east of the kingdom. Saudi Arabia said at the time that a tank farm was attacked and that there were no casualties.
Any damage to Ras Tanura can unsettle global oil markets, since the facility handles a large share of Saudi crude exports. India imports most of its crude oil, and Saudi Arabia is one of its top suppliers, so the attack is being watched closely in Indian energy circles.
(With inputs from Reuters)