Kathmandu. Iran has attacked Aramco, the world’s largest oil refinery.
According to Reuters, Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company Aramco closed its Ras Tanura oil refinery on Monday after a drone attack. Brent crude oil prices rose 9.32 per cent on the news of the refinery closure.
It is one of the largest and most strategic powerhouses in Saudi Arabia. After the attack, a fire broke out at its processing facility. Officials said the fire had been brought under control and no casualties had been confirmed. However, the incident has raised concerns about critical energy infrastructure in the region.
According to a Reuters report, an official said that Aramco’s Ras Tanura refinery has been shut down as a precautionary measure. “The situation is under control,” the official said. ’
A spokesman for the Saudi Defense Ministry told Al-Arabiya TV that no civilians were injured in the attack. Two Aramco drones have been grounded in Ras Tanura. ’
Globally, the price of crude oil has reached the highest level in 4 years since the Iran war escalated. That’s because trade through the Strait of Hormuz (which is a waterway that carries about a fifth of the world’s daily crude oil) has almost stopped. Iran has not officially shut down the channel. However, in the midst of the fighting, the shipowners themselves have put a stop to it.
The Iran war marks a dangerous new phase for the global oil market. The United States and Israel fired missiles at several locations in Iran on Saturday, urging locals to overthrow Islamist rule.
Following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Tehran has launched a series of attacks on US bases in Israel, as well as in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain. –Agency
