Riyadh: A major fire broke out at Saudi Aramco’s Abqaiq oil processing facility on Monday after drones struck the refinery and the nearby East-West Pumping Station.
Satellite images released by NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) showed extensive fire activity at the Abqaiq site, indicating great damage to one of the world’s most important oil-processing facilities.
It’s the largest crude oil stabilisation plant in the world which processes around 5 to 7 per cent of global oil supplies.
🚨 BREAKING – Saudi Aramco announces the supply line in the Al Baqiq and Riyadh area has been taken out of service after being struck by Yemeni forces. 🔥 🇸🇦🇾🇪 pic.twitter.com/eYb9X49eAC
— IRGC (@IRGC_Press) July 27, 2026
The latest attack will be extremely worrisome as it raises fresh concerns over the security of critical energy infrastructure in the Middle East.
According to experts, any disruption at Abqaiq can impact global energy markets. Earlier attacks on the facility during the US-Iran conflict resulted in sharp movements in international crude oil prices.
Saudi authorities started emergency flaring operations at several production sites following the attack.
Saudi Arabia accused Iran-backed resistance groups in Iraq of carrying out the drone strike and asserted that it reserves the right to respond.
