Kuwait energy, strategic assets hit by drone, missile strikes as Iran war escalates

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - One of Kuwait’s main refineries and key gas hubs was targeted in a drone attack on Friday, the country’s national news agency reported. The incident comes just days after Kuwait’s massive crude carrier, Al Salmi, was hit in a similar attack at a port in Dubai, raising concerns about a potential oil spill in the Gulf.

Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported that “the Mina al-Ahmadi refinery was targeted early morning [Friday] by hostile drones, causing fires in several operational units.”

The agency added that “emergency and firefighting teams immediately activated response plans and are working to contain the fires and prevent them from spreading,” adding, “no injuries were reported, and precautionary measures have been taken to ensure the safety of employees and the protection of the facilities.”

KUNA also cited the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), which stated that “it is coordinating with the Environment Authority to monitor and track air quality around the refinery,” adding that “no negative environmental impacts have been recorded so far from the attack.”

The KPC reported on Tuesday that the giant Kuwaiti crude oil tanker Al Salmi was directly targeted in a “criminal Iranian attack” while anchored at Dubai port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

“At the time of the incident, the tanker was fully loaded,” the KPC noted, detailing that “the attack caused material damage to the ship’s hull and sparked a fire onboard,” raising “concerns about a potential oil spill in the surrounding waters.”

The Kuwait Corporation confirmed that “no human injuries occurred and noted that a detailed assessment of the damage is currently underway.”

The US and Israel on February 28 launched a coordinated military campaign against Iran, with US Central Command (CENTCOM) reporting on Thursday that more than 12,300 targets across Iran have been struck so far.

In response, Tehran has carried out thousands of drone and missile strikes across the Middle East, targeting alleged US assets in the region - particularly in Gulf Arab states - as well as launching retaliatory attacks against Israel.

‘Unprovoked attack’

Since the outbreak of the Iran-Israel-US war in late February, Kuwait, a primary host for international forces, has faced continuous drone and missile strikes. The attacks began on the very first day of the conflict, when Iranian drones targeted Kuwait International Airport and the Ali Al Salem Air Base.

The violence escalated on March 1, when a drone strike on the US garrison at Camp Buehring and a missile attack near the Port of Shuaiba killed six US soldiers and wounded dozens more. Throughout March, military infrastructure remained under attack, with multinational forces at Ali Al Salem repeatedly targeted.

Camp Canada on March 2 was struck by missiles, damaging bunkers but causing no casualties, and in mid-March, an Italian garrison at the same base was hit, destroying an MQ-9 Reaper drone and damaging two Eurofighter Typhoons.

Two Kuwaiti Navy servicemen were also killed in early March, and nearly 70 soldiers were wounded by mid-month. The US Embassy in Kuwait City reportedly came under attack around the same period as well.

By late March and early April, the focus shifted toward Kuwait’s economy and essential services.

The Mina Al Ahmadi refinery, which was attacked on Friday, had already been struck at least three times between March 19 and April 3, causing fires that threatened to halt oil production.

Drone debris also put six major power lines out of service on March 12, and repeated strikes on Kuwait’s international airport on March 24 and 28 severely damaged fuel tanks and radar systems.

As of Thursday, the Kuwaiti defense ministry reported that its air defenses engaged 664 Iranian drones, 312 ballistic missiles, and multiple cruise missiles.

Throughout the crisis, Kuwaiti Emir Mishaal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah has emphasized that Kuwait is facing an “unprovoked attack,” noting that the country has not allowed its territory to be used for strikes against Iran.