Drone strikes hit Saudi Arabia oil facilities

Drones have attacked the world’s largest oil processing plant in Buqyaq and the Saudi Aramco-operated Khurais oilfield in Saudi Arabia.

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack, in which ten drones were used in the bombing. The attacks suspended the production of 5.7 million barrels of crude oil a day.

Engaged in a war with Saudi led forces in Yemen, the Houthi rebels warned that more strikes could come if the years-long Yemeni civil war does not end soon.

The Houthi insurgency in Yemen was a military rebellion pitting Zaidi Shia Houthis against the Yemeni military that started in Northern Yemen and has since intensified into a full-scale civil war.

The drone attacks caused fires at two Saudi Aramco facilities and disrupted half of the kingdom’s oil capacity.

Saudi Arabia produces nearly 10% of the total worldwide supply of 100 million barrels a day.

The Saudi interior ministry said the fires were under control and authorities were investigating the incident.

Saudi Aramco president and CEO Amin Nasser said there were no injuries and work is underway to restore production.

Several countries have condemned the drone attacks and offered their support to Saudi Arabia.

A UK Foreign Office spokesperson said: “Threatening civilian areas and commercial infrastructure is dangerous, provocative and completely unacceptable. This escalation also undermines UN-led efforts to end the conflict in Yemen.

“We call upon the Houthis to immediately cease such attacks. The UK remains committed to supporting the security of Saudi Arabia and to achieving a political solution to the devastating conflict in Yemen.”

Saudi Aramco manages more than 100 oil and gas fields in Saudi Arabia, including 288.4 trillion standard cubic feet of natural gas reserves. The company operates the Ghawar Field, the world’s largest onshore oil field; and the Safaniya Field, the world’s largest offshore oil field.