Iran strikes Gulf energy facilities, hitting Bahrain refinery and forcing force majeure declarations, as oil prices hit multi-year highs and regional tensions escalate.
MANAMA: Iran launched fresh strikes on energy installations across the Gulf, targeting a major petroleum complex in Bahrain and sending global oil prices soaring.
Bahrain’s sprawling Al Ma’ameer oil facility was hit, causing a fire and significant damage. The country’s state-owned energy firm Bapco declared force majeure on its operations due to the attack.
This follows similar declarations by energy producers in Qatar and Kuwait earlier. Bapco stated the force majeure was due to “the ongoing regional conflict and the recent attack on its refinery complex”.
Asian stock markets plunged as oil prices rocketed to their highest level since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The market instability coincided with continued Iranian missile and drone barrages across the region.
Hours earlier, Washington ordered non-emergency US government staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia due to safety risks. Drones hit the US embassy in Riyadh last week, with other missions in Kuwait and the UAE also damaged.
On Monday, Bahrain said another Iranian drone attack on the island of Sitra injured 32 people overnight. All the wounded were Bahraini citizens, including four serious cases involving children.
A 17-year-old girl suffered severe head and eye injuries, while a two-month-old baby was also among the wounded. Bahrain confirmed the fire at the Al Ma’ameer facility was now under control.
Several explosions were heard in the Qatari capital Doha as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait all reported new attacks. Qatar’s defence ministry stated its forces had intercepted a missile attack.
Saudi Arabia said it intercepted two waves of drones heading towards the Shaybah oil field. UAE authorities stated air defences responded to “a missile threat”.
Kuwait, targeted by seven missiles and five drones on Sunday, announced another missile and drone attack on Monday. Its defence ministry said air defences were working to intercept the assault.
Gulf countries have borne much of Tehran’s response since the US and Israel launched a massive aerial campaign against Iran on February 28. A total of 21 people have been killed in the Gulf since Iran began its attacks.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian warned the Islamic republic “will be forced to respond” against its neighbours if their territory is used to attack it.
