Iranian Drones Target Saudi Oil Refinery

Iranian drones struck near Saudi Arabia’s key oil facilities on Monday morning as Tehran’s retaliatory campaign widened across the Gulf, targeting energy infrastructure, diplomatic sites and military assets for a third consecutive day.

Saudi authorities said drones approached the Ras Tanura refinery, one of the kingdom’s most important oil processing hubs. A military spokesperson confirmed the incoming drones were intercepted, but debris sparked a fire at the complex. Thick black smoke was seen rising from the site in videos circulating online.

Saudi officials later said some operational units were temporarily shut down as a precaution, stressing that domestic petroleum supply remained unaffected.

The attack on Ras Tanura underscores the vulnerability of energy infrastructure in the Gulf, a region that handles a significant share of global oil exports. Markets have already reacted nervously to the escalating conflict.

Elsewhere, smoke and flames were reported inside the United States Embassy Kuwait City compound early Monday after what officials described as an Iranian strike. The embassy did not confirm a direct hit but issued a security alert instructing people to shelter in place and avoid the area. No immediate casualties were reported.

Kuwait’s Interior Ministry said it intercepted an unspecified number of drones at dawn. Separately, Kuwait’s Defence Ministry reported that several US warplanes crashed in the country on Monday morning, though all crew members survived and were transported to hospital for evaluation.

Unconfirmed reports suggested one aircraft, believed to be a US Air Force F-15E, may have gone down in a possible “friendly fire” incident. The US Central Command has not yet issued an official statement clarifying the cause. Explosions were also reported in Dubai and Bahrain, while Iranian strikes continued against the United Arab Emirates. France confirmed that a French military base in Abu Dhabi was hit by a drone on Sunday. Catherine Vautrin said damage was limited and no injuries were recorded, adding that French forces remain on high alert.

In Doha, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it described as a “blatant attack” on its people and warned that Iran “has to pay a price,” signalling that further retaliation could follow.

The widening strikes come after US and Israeli forces launched coordinated attacks on Iran over the weekend, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior commanders. Tehran has since targeted countries hosting US military bases, including Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE.

As energy infrastructure, embassies and military facilities come under fire, Gulf states face mounting pressure to respond. With no sign of de-escalation, the conflict appears to be spreading geographically — and raising fears of prolonged instability across one of the world’s most strategically vital regions.