File image.
A series of Iranian missile and drone strikes targeted energy facilities in Saudi Arabia and Qatar on March 2, causing significant damage.
The early morning strikes are a part of a series of retaliatory operations the Islamic Republic began two days earlier in response to a joint attack by the United States and Israel. While Saudi Arabia and Qatar are not directly involved in the attack, American forces are deployed on their territories.
A spokesman for the Saudi Ministry of Defense told the official SPA news agency that the kingdom repelled in the early morning drones attempting to strike the Ras Tanura oil refinery belonging to state oil giant Aramco.
“Two drones attempting to attack the Ras Tanura refinery this morning were intercepted and destroyed,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying. “A limited fire resulted from falling shrapnel during the interception operation, with no civilian casualties.”
The spokesperson added that the interception operation resulted in some shrapnel falling close to civilians and civilian objects.
Meanwhile, a source in the Saudi Ministry of Energy confirmed to the news agency that “some operational units at the refinery were shut down as a precaution,” stressing that this had no effect on the supply of petroleum and its derivatives to local markets.
Videos posted to social networks show large fires at different sections of Ras Tanura, which is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf in eastern Saudi Arabia The refinery is Aramco’s largest and one of the world’s key facilities. It has a 550,000 barrels per day capacity. It also serves as a vital domestic fuel supplier and major crude export terminal.
In addition to the drone attack on Ras Tanura, Saudi air defenses intercepted Iranian missiles which were heading towards Prince Sultan Air Base in the center of the kingdom, according to AFP. The defense ministry of the kingdom also announced the interception of five drones near the air base.
Multiple U.S. warplanes are currently based at Prince Sultan, including airborne early warning and control aircraft, as well as communication relay planes. These warplanes are certainly aiding the attack on Iran, which explains why the base has been targeted more than once since the start of the war. It is unclear yet if there was any damage there.
Besides the strikes on Saudi Arabia, the Qatari Ministry of Defense announced on the same day that Iranian missiles hit energy facilities.
Two missiles struck energy-related sites in the country, without causing injuries or fatalities, according to a statement released by the ministry.
“One targeted a water storage tank belonging to the Mesaieed Energy plant, and the other targeted one of the energy facilities in the industrial city of Ras Laffan affiliated with QatarEnergy ,” the ministry said.
“All damages and losses resulting from the attack will be assessed by the relevant authorities, and official statements will be provided later,” the ministry added.
Separately, a recent report by The New York Times confirmed that Iran was able to strike six U.S. bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates.
In Kuwait, three U.S. troops were killed in an attack on Ali Al Salem Air Base, which was badly hit. Advanced satellite communication terminals at the U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain were also wiped out, according to satellite images released by the newspaper.
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In response to the escalation by Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, the UAE, and the U.S. issued a statement on March 2 condemning what they called “indiscriminate and reckless missile and drone attacks” by the Islamic Republic.
“Iran’s actions represent a dangerous escalation that violates the independence of numerous countries and threatens regional stability. Targeting civilians and countries not engaged in hostilities is reckless and destabilizing,” the statement reads.
“We stand united in defense of our citizens, our autonomy, and our territories. We reaffirm our right to self-defense against these attacks, emphasizing our commitment to regional security, and commending the effective cooperation in air and missile defense that prevented greater loss of life and destruction.”
Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia could end up joining the American-Israeli war on Iran. Such a move would, however, force Iran to expand its strikes against these countries. For the U.S. and Israel, a wider war would ease Iranian pressure on them.
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