Saudi considers military option after drone strike on Aramco facility – Report

Saudi Arabia may resort to military action if it concludes that Iran orchestrated a coordinated attack on its oil infrastructure, a source close to the Saudi government has told AFP.

The development follows a drone strike that led to a partial shutdown of the Ras Tanura refinery operated by Saudi Aramco on the kingdom’s Gulf coast. The facility was reportedly hit by two drones on Monday, marking a fresh escalation in the ongoing Middle East conflict.

According to the source, Riyadh is still assessing whether the strike was directly authorised by Iran’s leadership or carried out by rogue elements acting independently.

“It depends on whether this is seen as a direct attack on Aramco by the Iranian leadership or a rogue drone incident,” the source said, adding that for now, Saudi authorities are likely to “watch and wait.”

However, the source stressed that a sustained or coordinated campaign against Saudi oil assets would significantly alter the kingdom’s approach. In such a scenario, military retaliation would be firmly on the table.

Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude exporter, views its oil facilities as strategic assets vital to both national security and global energy supply. The Ras Tanura complex ranks among the largest oil refineries globally and serves as a crucial export hub.

Should Iran be found responsible for mounting what officials describe as a “concerted attack” on Aramco’s infrastructure, Saudi Arabia could respond by targeting Iranian oil installations, the source indicated.