Kuwait’s state-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said Iranian drones struck Kuwait’s key oil facility at the Mina al-Ahmadi refinery on Friday, causing a fire at the site, and said no injuries were reported.The company said firefighters were working to bring the blaze under control after the attack, which marks another increase in attacks on critical energy infrastructure in the Bay Area.
Mina Al-Ahmadi, one of Kuwait’s three major refineries, has been targeted several times during the current conflict. Refineries play a vital role in Kuwait’s oil production, as disruptions due to lack of processing capacity can force oil wells to shut down. Restarting refinery operations is a time-consuming process, meaning production may be affected even after the fire is brought under control.The attack comes as Iran continues attacks across the region amid ongoing hostilities with the United States and Israel. Early Friday, Iran targeted several locations in the Gulf, with Kuwait and Bahrain both reporting incoming attacks, while Israel issued an alert over missile threats.At the same time, the United States and Israel carried out airstrikes inside Iran, including areas around Tehran and Isfahan, although details of the targets were not immediately clear.Despite claims by Washington and Tel Aviv that Iran’s military capabilities have declined significantly, Tehran has maintained sustained pressure on regional adversaries.Attacks on energy infrastructure and Iran’s tightening control over the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted global oil flows, causing prices to rise sharply.Brent crude prices rose to around $109, representing an increase of more than 50 percent from late February, when the conflict escalated.The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical bottleneck through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies transit during peacetime, making any disruption a major concern for global markets.The UN Security Council is expected to vote on a resolution addressing security in the Strait of Hormuz, amid growing concerns over safe passage for commercial ships.The proposal tabled by Bahrain initially included provisions allowing countries to “use all necessary means” to secure the waterway. However, permanent members including Russia, China and France have expressed opposition to authorizing the use of force.Emmanuel Macron said a military solution would be impractical, warning that such an operation “would take an infinite amount of time and would expose anyone passing through the strait to coastal threats.”He pointed to a possible post-ceasefire diplomacy, saying reopening the route “can only be done in coordination with Iran”.The conflict, now entering its fifth week, has led to rising casualties in several areas.More than 1,900 people are reported dead in Iran, while 19 people have been confirmed dead in Israel. Additional deaths have been reported in the Gulf countries, the occupied West Bank, and among US forces.In Lebanon, more than 1,300 people have been killed and more than a million displaced during Israeli ground operations against Hezbollah, with Israeli soldiers also reported to have suffered casualties.The attack on Kuwait’s refinery underscores the broader scope of the conflict, with energy infrastructure increasingly becoming a target in the war that is spreading across the Middle East.