US Isreal Iran War Latest News: Saudi Arabia’s major oil refinery, SAMREF, located at the Red Sea port of Yanbu, was reportedly targeted in an aerial strike. This comes after similar attacks on energy facilities in Qatar and the UAE, which are said to be in response to US-Israeli strikes on Iranian energy installations. SAMREF, a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and ExxonMobil, suffered minimal damage, an industry source told Reuters.
The attack follows warnings issued by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which had alerted several oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, including SAMREF. Saudi Aramco has not yet released an official statement regarding the incident.
Video images following the drone attack by Iran on SAMREF oil refinery; one of the leading refineries in the Middle East, processing more than 400k barrels per day
SAMREF is owned by Exxon Mobil and Saudi Aramco https://t.co/2vJmAiPjAl pic.twitter.com/K1gv4H7LD2
— Lara (@TradingLara) March 19, 2026
US Isreal Iran War Latest News: Global Oil Supply at Risk
The strike raises concerns over the global oil supply. Yanbu Port serves as one of the Gulf’s two main crude export hubs since Iran effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz after the outbreak of conflict last month. Normally, the strait handles about a fifth of the world’s oil supply.
The UAE’s Fujairah port, the other major export route, has also experienced a series of attacks, temporarily halting operations. It is unclear whether oil loadings resumed on Thursday.
The wider Gulf region, including Iraq and Iran, produces roughly 31% of global oil and between 8–17% of global gas. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively controlled by Iran, energy supplies have been severely disrupted, raising fears of a broader energy crisis.
US Isreal Iran War: Iran Retaliates Against Gulf Nations Amid Growing Tension
These strikes are seen as retaliation from Tehran after Israeli forces targeted Iran’s South Pars gas field, escalating tensions in the Middle East. On Wednesday, QatarEnergy confirmed that Iranian missile attacks on Ras Laffan, home to Qatar’s main LNG processing operations, caused “extensive damage.”
Saudi Arabia also reported intercepting and destroying four ballistic missiles aimed at Riyadh, while the UAE suspended operations at its Habshan gas facility following a drone interception.
In response, Saudi Arabia has warned that it reserves the right to take military action against Iran, noting that trust with Tehran has been shattered. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan accused Iran of deliberate hostile acts against its neighbors, carried out both directly and through regional proxies, and called on Tehran to rein in such actions.
