A core oil refinery in Kuwait was attacked and several facilities caught fire

By Zhang Yaqi

One of Kuwait’s largest refineries, Mina Al Ahmadi Refinery, has been hit by another drone attack, causing fires in multiple operational units. This marks the second attack on the plant in two weeks. The refinery has a daily processing capacity ranging from 340,000 to 730,000 barrels per day. Since mid-March, Kuwait has endured multiple rounds of drone strikes targeting refinery facilities, airport fuel storage tanks, and oil tankers.

Mina Al Ahmadi Refinery in Kuwait came under another drone attack in the early hours of April 3, sparking fires across several operational units. This is the latest sign that the Middle East conflict continues to spill over into energy infrastructure in the Gulf region, renewing concerns over regional supply security.

According to CCTV News, local time on April 3, reporters learned from Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) that its Mina Al Ahmadi Refinery was targeted by a drone attack in the early morning, resulting in fires in multiple operating units. No casualties have been reported so far.

This is the second strike against Mina Al Ahmadi Refinery this year. The plant was previously attacked by drones on March 19 and 20, which also caused fires. The incident comes amid a sharp escalation in Middle East tensions since late February. Iran has reportedly continued launching drone and missile attacks targeting energy infrastructure across multiple Gulf countries, while shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has also been disrupted, keeping the risk premium for global oil supply security in focus.

Since mid-March 2026, Kuwait has faced repeated drone attacks targeting refinery facilities, airport fuel tanks, and oil tankers.

### Refinery Attacked Again, Emergency Plan Activated

Mina Al Ahmadi Refinery is one of Kuwait’s largest refining facilities, operated by a subsidiary of KPC, with a daily processing capacity of between 346,000 and 730,000 barrels.

The drone strike in the early hours of April 3 ignited fires in several operational units. In an official statement, KPC said emergency teams responded quickly and deployed firefighting forces to contain the spread of the fire, with affected units temporarily shut down. The statement also noted that environmental monitoring showed no significant deterioration in air quality around the refinery, and there were no casualties.

This is already the second attack on the plant in less than two weeks. On March 19 and 20, the refinery was struck by drones for two consecutive days, causing fires in multiple operating areas, which emergency crews managed to contain without casualties. At the time, KPC described the incidents as “hostile drone attacks.”

### Escalating Middle East Conflict Puts Gulf Energy Facilities Under Pressure

The wave of attacks on energy infrastructure in the Gulf is closely linked to the sharp rise in Middle East tensions since late February 2026. The conflict intensified around February 28, with the United States and Israel striking Iranian targets. Iran responded with large-scale drone and missile attacks targeting Israeli and U.S. interests in the region, also affecting Gulf countries seen as U.S. allies or hosting U.S. assets.

Iran has since reportedly continued attacking refineries, tankers, airports, and related facilities in Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and other Gulf states, framing the strikes as part of retaliatory actions. Meanwhile, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz—one of the world’s most critical crude oil export routes—has been disrupted, adding further pressure on the global energy supply chain.

### Multiple Kuwaiti Targets Hit, Air Defense Systems Stretched

Since mid-March 2026, Kuwait has been targeted in numerous drone attacks. In addition to Mina Al Ahmadi Refinery, the nearby Mina Abdullah Refinery was also struck, causing a fire that emergency teams contained with no casualties.

In late March, fuel storage tanks at Kuwait International Airport were hit by a drone attack, triggering a major fire, though no one was injured. A Kuwaiti oil tanker also caught fire after being attacked near Dubai. Some military facilities have also been targeted, with injuries reported in a few incidents.

Kuwait’s air defense systems have reportedly intercepted multiple incoming threats, but some drones still penetrated defenses, causing limited damage to infrastructure.

The repeated attacks on Mina Al Ahmadi Refinery have raised doubts about the stability of Kuwait’s short-term refining capacity. As a major oil exporter in the Gulf, the operational status of Kuwait’s refining facilities directly affects regional and global oil product supplies.

Disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has further amplified supply chain uncertainty. As a critical chokepoint for global crude trade, prolonged disruption to traffic would deliver a substantial shock to global energy markets.

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