Aramco Refinery Attack: Will Saudi Arabia Strike Iran? Military on Full Alert as War Fears Rise

Saudi Arabia's military has raised its readiness levels following multiple attacks by Iran targeting its territory, a source close to the army told AFP on Monday.

A drone strike on one of Saudi Arabia’s most critical oil facilities has heightened fears of a wider regional escalation, with sources close to AFP indicating that any coordinated Iranian campaign against the kingdom’s energy infrastructure could trigger a military response from Riyadh. Sources added that the ‘Saudi army has raised its readiness to full alert’.

The massive Saudi Aramco-linked Ras Tanura Refinery, located along Saudi Arabia’s Gulf coast, went into partial shutdown on Monday after being targeted by drones. The incident comes just three days into the ongoing Middle East war, adding fresh uncertainty to global energy markets.

According to a AFP source close to the Saudi government, the kingdom is still assessing the nature of the attack and whether it was directly orchestrated by Tehran.

"It depends if this is seen as a direct attack on Aramco by the Iranian leadership or a rogue drone that just came close," the source told AFP, referring to the giant state oil company. "At this stage I think Saudi will watch and wait."

However, the source warned that the calculus could change quickly if the strikes are seen as part of a larger campaign.

Military retaliation would be a possible option if Iran were seen as launching a targeted campaign against the kingdom's oil installations. Saudi Arabia would target "Iranian oil facilities if Iran mounts a concerted attack on Aramco", the source said.

Saudi Arabia remains the world’s biggest oil exporter, and any sustained disruption to its energy infrastructure could ripple through global markets.

Fire reported but operations partially halted

Saudi Arabia’s energy ministry confirmed that some operations at the Ras Tanura refinery had been halted following the attack, which caused a fire at the sprawling complex.

An official source from the ministry said the shutdown was precautionary.

"Some operational units at the refinery were shut down as a precautionary measure, without any impact on the supply of petroleum products to local markets," the source said in a statement published by the Saudi Press Agency.

Earlier reports indicated that the blaze triggered by the attack had already been extinguished.

A spokesman for the Saudi defence ministry said two drones had targeted the refinery but were intercepted, according to a statement posted by the Saudi Press Agency on X.

The Ras Tanura complex is among the largest refining hubs in the Middle East and plays a central role in Saudi Arabia’s energy sector, with a refining capacity of about 550,000 barrels per day. It also serves as one of the world’s largest oil export ports.

Gulf tensions spike as energy sites come into focus

Analysts say the strike represents a serious escalation in the conflict, particularly because it places Gulf energy infrastructure directly in the line of fire.

Torbjorn Soltvedt, an analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft, warned the attack signals a shift in the conflict’s trajectory.

"The attack on Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura refinery marks a significant escalation, with Gulf energy infrastructure now squarely in Iran's sights," Soltvedt said in a note on the conflict. "The attack is also likely to move Saudi Arabia and neighbouring Gulf states closer to joining US and Israeli military operations against Iran."

The incident follows a wave of Iranian missile and drone activity across the region in recent days, raising fears that more countries could be drawn into the confrontation.

Air base near Riyadh also targeted

Security concerns escalated further after Iranian missiles aimed at an air base near Riyadh were intercepted, according to a Gulf source briefed on the developments.

The base reportedly houses US personnel and has been targeted three times in as many days, underscoring the intensifying pressure on Saudi defence systems.

Over the weekend, Saudi Arabia sharply criticised Iran after strikes targeted Riyadh and the kingdom’s eastern region, warning that it reserved the right to defend itself — including through retaliation if necessary.

A familiar threat to Saudi oil infrastructure

Saudi oil facilities have previously been attacked by Iran-aligned groups, highlighting the vulnerability of the kingdom’s energy network.

In 2022, Yemen’s Houthi movement launched a drone strike targeting the YASREF refinery in Yanbu Industrial City on the Red Sea.

Earlier, in 2019, aerial assaults claimed by the Houthis struck two Aramco facilities in eastern Saudi Arabia, temporarily knocking out roughly half of the kingdom’s crude production — an event that sent shockwaves through global oil markets.

(With inputs from AFP)