UAE Oil Terminal Hit by Drone Strike, Operations Continue Despite Fire

A drone attack sparked a fire at a major fuel terminal in the United Arab Emirates on Monday, though officials say operations were not disrupted. The incident comes amid escalating regional tensions following recent strikes across the Middle East.

Officials in the United Arab Emirates reported Monday that a drone strike ignited a blaze at the Musaffah fuel storage facility, though the attack did not disrupt normal operations at the critical energy hub.

The Abu Dhabi media office confirmed authorities quickly managed the emergency situation. “Abu Dhabi authorities have responded today to a fire resulting from the targeting of a Musaffah fuel tank terminal by a drone. The situation was promptly contained,” the office said.

Officials confirmed no one was hurt in the incident.

The targeted facility serves as a key distribution point operated by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, where fuel products are loaded onto trucks for delivery. The site connects to an extensive pipeline system spanning 1,600 kilometers that supplies petroleum products throughout the Abu Dhabi emirate.

This marks another attack on the Musaffah facility, which previously came under fire from Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in 2022 during their ongoing conflict with the Saudi-led military coalition.

The strike occurred as regional tensions intensify following a series of attacks across the area. Earlier Monday, Saudi Arabia’s national oil company Aramco was forced to close its Ras Tanura refinery after a drone strike, marking what appears to be an escalation on the third consecutive day of regional attacks launched by Tehran following a U.S.-Israeli operation against Iran.

Meanwhile, QatarEnergy suspended production of liquefied natural gas and related products after attacks targeted facilities at Ras Laffan, according to an informed source speaking to Reuters.