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Kuwait was moving swiftly on Friday to contain damage after a drone struck the Mina Al Ahmadi refinery, as Tehran continues to launch attacks towards Gulf countries amid its war with the US and Israel.
The assault on the refinery caused fires across several operational units, but emergency crews acted quickly to contain them and prevent further damage, officials said. They added that “no injuries were recorded” and precautionary measures were immediately put in place to protect workers and infrastructure.
Co-ordination is continuing with environmental regulators to monitor air quality, the authorities said, and no negative environmental impact has been detected so far.
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said it remains committed to the highest safety standards and is taking all necessary steps to ensure operational continuity.
The Mina Al Ahmadi refinery is one of Kuwait’s largest and most strategic oil terminals, situated about 40 kilometres south of Kuwait City within the country’s main export hub. With a refining capacity of roughly 450,000 to 466,000 barrels per day, it plays a central role in processing crude into key fuels such as diesel, petrol and jet fuel for both domestic use and international markets.
The complex is closely integrated with storage, petrochemical units and export terminals, making it a cornerstone of Kuwait’s energy infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the National Guard rejected reports of any radioactive leak, saying specialised teams are tracking the situation “continuously” in co-ordination with state authorities to ensure public safety, urging people not to be “misled by rumours or unverified information”.
Since the start of the Iran war, Kuwait has faced repeated strikes on its energy infrastructure. The Mina Al Ahmadi refinery has been targeted several times by drones, causing small fires that were quickly contained. In some cases, attacks came in waves, hitting operational units in quick succession.
Iranian strikes on Friday have also hit a key Kuwaiti power and desalination plant, causing "material" damage. "Technical and emergency teams immediately began dealing with the aftermath of the incident to ensure continued operation," the country's news agency Kuna reported.
Elsewhere in the Gulf, Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed seven drones early on Friday, without providing further details.
Official data showed the UAE accounting for about 40 per cent of the Iranian 6,293 attacks recorded across the region between February 28 and April 2, with 2,514 attacks. Kuwait reported 973 strikes, Saudi Arabia 870, and Bahrain 617, while Qatar recorded 303 and Oman 28.
On Friday, four missile alerts were sent in Abu Dhabi, urging the public to remain in a safe place while authorities dealt with the situation, and a fire broke out at the Habshan gas plant after successful interceptions by UAE air defences from Iranian attacks.
