Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia — A major fire has broken out at a key Saudi Aramco oil refinery in Ras Tanura after a suspected drone strike, rattling global energy markets and reviving fears that the world’s most important oil corridor is once again under attack.

Residents along the Gulf coast reported loud blasts followed by an orange glow over the vast refinery complex, one of Aramco’s most strategic facilities. Videos shared on social media show flames leaping above storage tanks and dense black smoke billowing into the night sky as sirens wail and emergency convoys race toward the site.

Saudi officials say initial indications point to “hostile unmanned aerial vehicles” penetrating air defenses before detonating near processing units and a storage area. While authorities insist production “remains largely unaffected” and that the blaze is “under control,” industry sources quietly warn that even a temporary disruption at Ras Tanura could jolt already tense oil markets.

A Yemen‑based Iran‑aligned militia has claimed responsibility, calling the attack “legitimate retaliation” for Saudi actions in the region and vowing to target “every artery that feeds aggression.” Riyadh has condemned the strike as a “terrorist act aimed at the stability of the global economy,” pledging to respond “at the right place and time.”

Oil futures spiked within minutes of the first fire reports, airlines began reviewing Gulf routes, and diplomats scrambled to assess whether this is a one‑off shock — or the opening move in a renewed campaign to turn the world’s energy heartland into a battlefield.