The morning attack on the facilities of Saudi Aramco in Saudi Arabia was ultimately an Israeli provocation, as revealed by the Iranian news agency Tasnim.
According to a military source, the aim of Israel is to divert the attention of regional states from its crimes, such as attacks on civilian targets in Iran.
“Iran has announced that it will target all American and Israeli interests, facilities and infrastructure in the region, while it has already struck many of them.
However, Aramco’s facilities had not until now been a target,” the source adds.
At the same time, the same source underlines that “according to our information, the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates is the next target of the Israelis.”
JUST IN: ?? Iran strikes Saudi Arabia's Aramco Ras Tanura oil refinery. pic.twitter.com/eTmPGRFAY5
— BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) March 2, 2026
Dramatic impact on energy: Ras Tanura out of operation
It is recalled that the drone attack led Saudi Aramco to suspend operations at the Ras Tanura complex, while damage assessments are underway.
The suspension revives the 2024 warning that any successful attack by Iran or an Iran-backed militia on critical refining infrastructure in Saudi Arabia could trigger a global oil shock and, in a more severe scenario, open the way for a major financial crisis.
Sources told Bloomberg that Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia’s largest refining unit, “was hit by drones” and “operations were halted as a precaution.”
Visual material from the aftermath of the attack was published on X.
Saudi Arabia announced through the state-run Saudi Press Agency that the damage was “limited” and the fire was caused by the interception of two drones.
No civilian injuries were reported.
Ras Tanura constitutes a critical energy hub in the Persian Gulf, with the capacity to service the largest tankers and it is linked to significant crude oil exports.
Refining capacity reaches 550,000 barrels per day, meaning any disruption tightens the market for gasoline, diesel and other products in markets of the Gulf, Asia and Europe.
“The attack on Ras Tanura marks a significant escalation, with the Gulf’s energy infrastructure now in Iran’s crosshairs,” said Torbjorn Soltvedt, Middle East analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, adding that “it will likely push Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries to participate in U.S. and Israel military operations against Iran.”
Targeted attack
In 2024, David Asher, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, warned that any targeted attack on refining facilities in Saudi Arabia by Iran or Iran-backed militias could cause a “global oil shock and a 2007-2008 style crisis.”
At the same time, private credit markets are already showing cracks.
The prospect of military clashes at the heart of the Persian Gulf’s energy sector and the uncertainty surrounding Benjamin Netanyahu create an explosive combination that threatens to overturn global oil markets and trigger an unprecedented crisis.
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