Iran's drones hit Aramco Oil Refinery in Saudi Arabia
Riyadh: The conflict between US-Israel and the Iranian regime has intensified on Monday. After a relative lull overnight, Iran launched new missile and drone strikes on Israel and other Gulf states. Multiple news outlets like Russia Today, Press TV Iran and Israel 24 news reported a drone strike at Saudi Aramco Ras Tanura refining facility. The facility is among the world's largest oil export facilities, critical for global crude flows. Jerusalem Post quoting a Semafor reporter said that a small, isolated fire is under control at Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura refining facility following what appeared to be a drone strike earlier in the morning. Iran's Press TV also reported an Iranian missile strike at the Salman Port in Bahrain. The Iranian media report claimed that the Port was being reportedly used for transporting American logistical equipment intended for use in a strike on Iran.
In its statement, Iran's IRGC issued an update on what the Iranians have dubbed Operation True Promise. According to the statement, "The tenth wave opened massive gates of fire upon the occupied territories with a maneuver of Khaibar missiles." Iranian State Media also released a picture on Telegram allegedly of the American F15 fighter pilot whose plane was downed in Kuwait earlier on Monday morning. It also shared visuals of the massive drone fleet of Iran along with Iranian strikes on US-Israeli targets in the region.In a post on Telegram, Press TV said, "American pilot after his fighter jet crashed in Kuwait".
Meanwhile, Amichai Stein the Diplomatic Correspondent at Israel's i24news reported that officials in Gulf states were shocked by the Iranian retaliation. In a post on X he said, "Out of all my conversations with senior officials in the Gulf states, they were completely shocked by the intensity of the Iranian fire. "We were certain that after the elimination of Khamenei they would respond, but right now they're aiming at population centers, not just military facilities; this is completely insane and this is conduct that makes no sense on their part," one of them told me. Another senior official told me, "This is way beyond what we thought would happen." The latest wave of strikes and Iranian counter attacks comes on the heels of a full-scale conflict that erupted in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, following a major "military offensive" launched on February 28.
In a coordinated operation known as Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion, US and Israeli forces carried out large-scale air and missile strikes across Iran, targeting key military sites, nuclear-related infrastructure, missile batteries, and leadership compounds. World leaders and international bodies are urging de-escalation as the risk of wider regional conflict grows, but fighting continues without a clear end in sight.
