Drone Attack Hits Kuwait Refinery as Gulf Tensions Escalate

Casablanca – A fire broke out early today at Kuwait’s Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery after it was targeted by drones, according to Kuwait Petroleum Company and the state news agency KUNA. The strike, which reportedly came from Iran, is the second in two days on the same site. It caused fires in several units, but casualties were reported in initial assessments.

Emergency crews moved quickly. Firefighting teams and response units were deployed, while parts of the refinery were shut down as a precaution. Authorities said all necessary steps were taken to protect workers and contain the damage.

The refinery, operated by Kuwait National Petroleum Company, is one of the country’s most important energy facilities. It plays a key role in exporting crude oil and refined products, making it a sensitive target in the current regional tensions.

The latest strike comes amid a wider escalation across the Gulf. In recent days, Iran has intensified attacks on energy infrastructure in response to a joint US-Israeli strike that began on February 28.

On Friday, the United Arab Emirates said it had responded to missile and drone attacks, while Bahrain reported containing a fire at a warehouse caused by debris from what it described as an Iranian strike.

In Saudi Arabia, the defense minister said more than a dozen drones were intercepted and destroyed in the east of the country within two hours, along with another in the north.

Kuwaiti authorities said the refinery’s safety systems helped limit the extent of the damage. Technical teams are now working to gradually restore affected units.

Officials added that the situation at the site is under control, but did not explain how the drones entered Kuwaiti airspace, raising questions about air defense coverage.

Analysts say even limited damage could ripple through oil markets. The concern is not just physical disruption, but perception. Each incident adds uncertainty. In a region already on edge, that can move prices quickly.

The wave of coordinated attacks is also forcing Gulf states to tighten security around critical infrastructure. Alerts have been raised around refineries, storage sites, and export terminals.

The threat is harder to track. Small, mobile, and relatively cheap, drones are changing how this conflict plays out, shifting focus from military targets to the energy systems that keep the region running.

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