Saudi Arabia May Respond Militarily if Iran Launches a 'Coordinated' Attack on Its Oil Facilities

SadaNews - A source close to the Saudi government informed Agence France-Presse today, Monday, that the Kingdom may respond militarily if Iran launches a "coordinated" attack on its oil infrastructure, following the halt of operations at some facilities of the Ras Tanura refinery after being targeted by two drones.

The source, who preferred not to be named, stated, "It depends on whether this attack is viewed as a direct assault on Aramco by the Iranian leadership, or if it’s just a rogue drone that approached the site. At this stage, I believe that Saudi Arabia will monitor the situation and wait."

He clarified that a military response would be a potential option for Saudi authorities if it is deemed that Iran is launching a coordinated campaign against the Kingdom's oil facilities.

He noted that the Kingdom would target "Iranian oil facilities if Iran conducts a coordinated attack on Aramco," referring to the giant Saudi oil company, one of the largest sources of oil globally, and the biggest crude oil exporter in the world.

The Ras Tanura complex, located on the eastern coast of the Kingdom, is home to one of the largest oil refineries in the Middle East, and it is considered a crucial pillar of the Kingdom's energy sector, the largest crude exporter worldwide.

The facility has a production capacity of 550,000 barrels per day.

Earlier on Monday, the Ministry of Energy stated in a statement, "Some operational units in the refinery have been halted as a precaution, without affecting petroleum and its derivative supplies to local markets."

The spokesperson for the Saudi Ministry of Defense, Major General Turki Al-Maliki, announced that "two drones attempting to attack the Ras Tanura refinery this morning were intercepted and destroyed," noting that a "limited fire broke out due to debris falling during the interception, with no civilian injuries reported."