Fire at Kuwait’s Mina Al-Ahmadi Refinery Following Drone Attack as Gulf Energy Infrastructure Comes Under Renewed Assault
No casualties reported as several units shut down; strikes part of wider Iranian retaliation for Israeli attack on South Pars gas field
KUWAIT CITY — March 20, 2026 — A major fire broke out at Kuwait’s Mina Al-Ahmadi oil refinery in the early hours of Friday after it was struck by multiple “hostile drone attacks,” the official Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported, citing the national oil company, in the latest escalation of Iran’s campaign against Gulf energy infrastructure .
Firefighting and emergency response teams were immediately deployed to contain the blaze, which ignited in several units of the facility, one of the largest and most important refineries in the Middle East. Authorities confirmed that no casualties were reported among refinery personnel, though several units were temporarily shut down as a precautionary measure to ensure worker safety and secure the site .
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The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) confirmed that initial assessments showed no loss of life, and that all necessary safety procedures had been implemented. The General Fire Force stated that teams were actively working to bring the fire under control, with details of the full extent of the damage expected to be announced later .
Regional Context: Coordinated Attacks Across the Gulf
Friday’s strike on the Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery was not an isolated incident but part of a broader, coordinated wave of Iranian attacks targeting energy infrastructure and military installations across the Gulf region. According to a detailed analysis by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Long War Journal, the period between March 17 and 19 saw an intensification of such operations .
Iran has dramatically stepped up its retaliatory campaign following an Israeli strike on its massive South Pars gas field, the world’s largest natural gas reserve, which Tehran shares with Qatar . That attack prompted Iran to issue sweeping warnings and launch missiles and drones at critical infrastructure in multiple Gulf states.
On the same day as the Kuwait attack, Bahrain’s interior ministry reported that shrapnel from an “Iranian aggression” caused a fire at a warehouse, which was quickly brought under control with no injuries . The United Arab Emirates also faced “incoming missile and drone threats from Iran,” according to state media, while Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry announced its forces had “intercepted and destroyed” more than a dozen drones in the country’s east and another in the north within a span of about two hours .
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Claim Responsibility
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, claiming responsibility for a series of attacks. The IRGC stated it had targeted US forces at the Al-Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, as well as sites in Israel, with missiles and drones . The strikes on Kuwait’s critical energy infrastructure are widely seen as part of this coordinated campaign to exert maximum pressure on Gulf states that host US military personnel .
Kuwait hosts a significant contingent of approximately 13,500 US service members and support personnel, with key installations including Camp Arifjan, Ali Al Salem Air Base, and Camp Buehring, making it a strategic hub for American operations in the region . The country’s air defences have been actively engaged in responding to “hostile missile and drone threats” throughout the escalation, an army statement confirmed .
Mina Al-Ahmadi: A Critical Energy Hub
The Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery is a cornerstone of Kuwait’s petroleum industry. According to various reports, its production capacity is substantial, estimated between 346,000 and 730,000 barrels per day, making it one of the largest refining complexes in the Middle East . As a founding member of OPEC, Kuwait produces over three million barrels of crude per day, with hydrocarbons contributing an estimated 90 to 95 percent of the country’s export earnings . Any significant or prolonged disruption to such a key facility has the potential to impact both domestic output and global energy markets.
This is not the first time the refinery has been caught in the crossfire of regional hostilities. Earlier in March, following the initial wave of US-Israeli strikes on Iran, debris from intercepted missiles fell at the same Mina Al-Ahmadi facility, injuring two workers, although production was not affected at that time . Friday’s direct drone strike, however, represents a significant escalation, causing active fires and forcing the shutdown of operational units.
Wider Implications for Regional Stability and Global Energy
The continued attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure have profound implications for regional stability and the global economy. The Long War Journal’s daily updates detail a relentless campaign between March 17 and 19, during which Iran and its allied militias launched hundreds of drones and missiles across the Middle East . Targets have included not only oil and gas facilities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait but also airports, military bases, and diplomatic facilities.
In the preceding days, a ballistic missile struck Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) hub, causing a major fire and halting production . The UAE’s Habshan gas facility and Bab oil field were also targeted and subsequently shut down after weathering falling debris from intercepted missiles . Saudi Arabia’s SAMREF oil refinery in Yanbu was struck by a drone on March 19 .
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This coordinated assault has effectively brought the conflict to the heart of the global energy supply chain. The Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of the world’s oil and LNG passes, remains a highly volatile flashpoint. While Iran has stated the waterway is open, shipping traffic has been severely disrupted, raising concerns of supply shortages and price volatility in international markets. For Kuwait, which lacks the alternative pipeline infrastructure of its neighbours like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, any prolonged closure of the Strait would severely cripple its ability to export oil .
As of Friday afternoon, firefighting efforts at the Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery were ongoing, and authorities have launched an investigation into the precise details of the attack. The incident underscores the precarious position of Gulf states, whose critical infrastructure has become a direct theatre of conflict in the escalating war between Iran, Israel, and the United States.
Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA): Two injured at Kuwait’s Al-Ahmadi refinery after debris falls during Iranian attacks
Arab Times Kuwait: Kuwait Refinery Hit by Multiple Drone Attacks, No Casualties Reported
New Straits Times: Fire at Kuwait refinery as Gulf states come under drone, missile attacks
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