According to people familiar with the matter, Saudi Arabia has brought a fire near its largest oil export terminal under control. The terminal is located in Ras Tanura on the coast of the Persian Gulf, where an attack took place earlier.
The people said the fire broke out in the early hours of Tuesday near facilities operated by Saudi state oil producer Saudi Aramco. The person requested anonymity because the situation has not been made public. The extent of the damage is not yet clear.
Aramco's press office and Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Energy did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In recent weeks, Saudi energy infrastructure has been attacked multiple times by Yemen's Houthi rebels, with Aramco's headquarters, a major oil field and a refinery in western Saudi Arabia all targeted.
Ras Tanura in eastern Saudi Arabia has important tanker loading facilities, as well as the country's largest refinery and a large number of storage tanks. Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis at the country's eastern region. Oil prices reversed earlier losses, with Brent crude trading near $116 a barrel in London. So far this month, oil prices have risen about 13% as traders weigh the possibility of renewed conflict between the United States and Iran.
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