A spokesman from Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry said on Al Arabiya TV that there were no injuries from the strike on the refinery.
“The attack on Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura refinery marks a significant escalation, with Gulf energy infrastructure now squarely in Iran’s sights,” said Torbjorn Soltvedt, principal Middle East analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, a risk intelligence firm.
“The attack is also likely to move Saudi Arabia and neighbouring Gulf states closer to joining US and Israeli military operations against Iran.”
Iran has targeted many of its neighbours that host US bases, while attacks on an oil refinery could be a deliberate tactic to disrupt global trade.
An Energy Ministry source told the Saudi Press Agency that “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”.
Oil prices had already spiked, with Brent crude oil, the international benchmark, up by more than 13% to more than US$82 a barrel when markets opened on Sunday night local time.
Iran has targeted hotels, ports, industrial areas and oil infrastructure in the Gulf states since joint US-Israeli attacks started the conflict on Saturday.
In the run-up to the conflict, Saudi Arabia publicly said it wished to see a diplomatic solution and credible deal with Iran to defuse tensions.
Sources told the Washington Post that Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince, argued in favour of an attack during multiple phone calls with Donald Trump.
With the kingdom and its neighbours now under attack, they face a choice of remaining passive while under bombardment, or fighting back, escalating the war and being accused of siding with Israel.
Several of the Gulf nations have well-funded modern militaries, with the Saudi forces considered the most capable in the region.
“Gulf states will try to contain spillover rather than actively join a widening war,” Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer at the School of Security Studies at King’s College London, told DW.
“Once missiles started landing around the region, they faced an ugly choice: Respond hard and risk being locked into escalation or respond softly and look exposed at home.”
He predicted countries such as Saudi Arabia, would step up their defences, and encourage diplomatic tracks.
“Oman and Qatar [who have been working on US-Iran negotiations] will keep lines open and search for an off-ramp, and others will quietly encourage them,” he said.
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