Saudi Arabia on Monday successfully intercepted two drones attempting to target Ras Tanura oil refinery, the Saudi Defense Ministry said.
The Defense Ministry Spokesperson, General Turki Al-Maliki, said that two drones targeting Ras Tanura oil refinery this morning were intercepted and destroyed.
As a result, the falling shrapnel caused a limited fire, Al-Maliki noted, confirming that there were no civilian injuries. He added that the interception process caused debris to fall near civilian facilities and civilians.
In the same context, an official source at the Saudi Ministry of Energy said that a limited fire broke out in the oil refinery, with no casualties reported, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The source added that the falling debris from the interception of two drones in the vicinity of Ras Tanura oil refinery caused limited damage resulting from the fire, but was immediately contained by emergency response teams.
Furthermore, he noted that some operational units at the refinery were temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure. However, the move has not disrupted the flow of petroleum products to the local market, the source confirmed.
Located in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, Ras Tanura is one of the world’s largest oil refineries, producing 550,000 barrels per day.
In retaliation for a joint US-Israeli attack, Iran has been launching barrages of missiles and drones to target Israel and US bases in the region, violating the sovereignty of several Arab States, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE and Oman.
In response, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries strongly condemned the Iranian aggression, retaining their right to self-defense in the face of these heinous attacks.
