One of the world’s largest refineries, the Ruwais facility in the UAE, has been shut down as a precautionary measure following a nearby drone attack that sparked a fire in the industrial complex.

A source familiar with the situation stated: “The Ruwais refinery has halted operations out of precaution,” while requesting anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter.

The Abu Dhabi Media Office earlier confirmed that a drone attack caused a fire in Ruwais Industrial City, located in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Authorities reported no injuries from the incident.

Neither the source nor official statements clarified whether the refinery itself was directly struck by the drone.

State-owned oil company Adnoc describes its Ruwais facility as “the world’s fourth-largest single-site refinery,” with significant capacity for processing crude oil and supporting downstream operations.

The ongoing Middle East war has severely disrupted energy supplies across the region. Iran has launched attacks on various energy installations in the Gulf, including Saudi Aramco’s sprawling Ras Tanura facility, which halted some operations following a drone strike and related fire.

The Ras Tanura complex on the Gulf coast hosts one of the Middle East’s largest refineries and remains a cornerstone of the Saudi energy sector.

Saudi oil fields have also come under targeting amid the escalating conflict.

A driver working at the Ruwais industrial complex told AFP he was evacuating staff when further incidents occurred. “Just as we were about to leave, we saw two more bursts of fire rising from the complex, with loud sounds like explosions,” he said, requesting not to be named.

Aramco CEO and president Amin H. Nasser warned of the broader implications during a media call to announce the company’s 2025 earnings. He stated the war could have “catastrophic consequences” on oil markets and called for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about 20 per cent of global oil supplies but has been closed by the conflict.

Nasser further explained: “The disruption has caused a severe chain reaction in not only shipping and insurance, but there’s also a drastic domino effect on aviation, agriculture, automotive and other industries.”

He added: “There would be catastrophic consequences for the world’s oil markets the longer the disruption goes on and the more drastic the consequences for the global economy.”

Nasser emphasized: “It’s absolutely critical that shipping resumes in the Strait of Hormuz.”

He described the situation as unprecedented: “While we have faced disruptions in the past, this one by far is the biggest crisis the region’s oil and gas industry has faced.”

Tehran appears intent on disrupting major Gulf refineries as it maintains its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to inflict maximum economic pain globally.

The oil-rich Gulf states have borne the brunt of Iran’s retaliatory attacks following US-Israeli strikes that ignited the wider Middle East war. Tehran has targeted US assets alongside civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities and airports.

“The Gulf energy sector is getting whacked from multiple angles,” said Robert Mogielnicki, a non-resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute. “Energy facilities being targeted, export capability through the strait is hampered, and storage capacity is filling up,” he added.

Iranian strikes have already prompted QatarEnergy, a major liquefied natural gas producer, to halt production last week and declare force majeure.

Energy producers in Kuwait have issued similar declarations, signaling that uncontrollable events may prevent them from meeting export commitments.

Nasser spoke as Aramco reported a 12.1 percent decline in net income for 2025, attributed to higher supply, US tariffs, and other economic pressures affecting revenues.

The Saudi company, which conducted a record initial public offering in 2019, also announced its first-ever share buyback programme of up to $3 billion over 18 months.

On the same day, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari warned that attacks on energy facilities “on both sides, are a dangerous precedent… it will cause repercussions throughout the world.”

Throughout last year, the OPEC+ alliance—led prominently by Saudi Arabia—oversaw increased production, which contributed to eroding oil prices.