Iran targeted the SAMREF refinery in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, in an aerial attack on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
The refinery, owned by Saudi Aramco and Exxon Mobil, saw only limited damage, but crude oil loadings at the nearby Red Sea port were briefly stopped.
A drone struck the SAMREF refinery, while Saudi air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile heading toward the Yanbu port.
The refinery can process about 400,000 barrels of oil per day, making it an important part of Saudi Arabia’s energy system. This is the first time during the current conflict that a major oil facility on the Red Sea coast has been hit.
After the strike, Saudi Aramco paused crude loadings at Yanbu for a short time. Operations later resumed, but the disruption showed how exposed the route has become.
With the Strait of Hormuz blocked, Yanbu is now one of the main outlets for crude exports from the region. Normally, about
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