Iran strikes key oil refinery in Saudi Arabia
Photo: Iran attacked a strategically important oil refinery in Saudi Arabia (Getty Images)
Iran attacked the SAMREF refinery on the Red Sea—the only refinery capable of exporting its products to other markets, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters.
The SAMREF oil refinery, owned by oil giant Saudi Aramco, in the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, was targeted in an airstrike. A Reuters source emphasized that the impact of the attack was minimal.
Iran’s IRGC had previously issued evacuation warnings to several oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, including SAMREF.
Yanbu is currently the only export point for any crude oil from the Arab Gulf states, as Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies typically flows.
Background
On the evening of Wednesday, March 18, Iran launched an attack on Qatar, resulting in one of its ballistic missiles striking the industrial city of Ras Laffan, a key hub for LNG production. A fire subsequently broke out at the facility, and QatarEnergy reported significant damage.
Shortly thereafter, Qatar expelled Iran’s ambassador from the country and gave other Iranian diplomats 24 hours to leave.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump stated that Israel would no longer attack Iran’s South Pars gas field if Tehran did not strike Qatar.
He also added that if another attack on Qatar were to occur, the US would destroy the entire South Pars gas field. According to Trump, this destruction would be with a force and power that Iran has never seen before.
