A key refinery in Kuwait was attacked, causing multiple facilities to catch fire.

Kuwait’s Al Ahmad port refinery was hit by another drone attack in the early hours of April 3, with multiple operating units catching fire, marking the latest example of the Middle East conflict continuing to spill over into the Gulf region’s energy infrastructure and raising concerns again about regional supply security.

According to CCTV News, local time on April 3, reporters with the China Media Group said they learned from Kuwait National Petroleum Company that the Al Ahmad port refinery under the company was attacked by drones in the early hours of that day, causing multiple operating units to catch fire. There is currently no report of casualties.

This was the refinery’s second round of strikes this year—after the plant was previously hit by drone attacks on two consecutive days from March 19 to 20 and caught fire. The incident occurred against the backdrop of a significant escalation in the Middle East situation since late February. Reports say Iran has continued to launch drone and missile attacks targeting energy infrastructure in multiple Gulf countries, and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has also reportedly been disrupted, while the risk premium associated with global oil market supply security continues to draw attention.

Since mid-March 2026, Kuwait has already experienced multiple rounds of drone attacks, with targets including refining facilities, airport fuel storage tanks, and oil tankers.

Refinery hit again; emergency plans are activated

The Al Ahmad port refinery is one of Kuwait’s largest refineries. It is operated by a subsidiary under KPC, with a daily processing capacity ranging from 346,000 to 730,000 barrels.

The drone attack in the early hours of April 3 caused multiple operating units at the plant to catch fire. In an official statement, KPC said its emergency teams responded quickly and deployed firefighting resources, and are working to control the spread of the fire; the relevant units have been temporarily shut down. The statement also emphasized that, according to current environmental monitoring data, air quality around the refinery has not shown any obvious negative changes, and there are still no reports of casualties.

This is the second round of attacks the plant has suffered in less than two weeks. From March 19 to 20, the plant was struck by drones for two consecutive days, with multiple operating units catching fire. The emergency teams controlled the fire within a certain range, and there were also no reports of casualties. At the time, KPC classified the incident as an “hostile drone attack.”

Middle East conflict escalates; Gulf energy facilities continue to face pressure

Reportedly, this round of attacks on energy infrastructure in the Gulf region is closely related to the significant rise in tensions in the Middle East since late February 2026. The conflict noticeably intensified around February 28, when Israel and the United States carried out strikes targeting Iran. Iran then retaliated with large-scale drones and missiles, with targets covering Israel and U.S. interests in the region, while also affecting Gulf countries seen as allies of the United States or with U.S. assets stationed there.

Reports say Iran has since continued to launch attacks on refineries, oil tankers, airports, and related facilities in Gulf countries such as Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar, defining them as part of retaliatory actions. Meanwhile, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz—one of the world’s most important crude oil export routes—has also reportedly been disrupted, adding further pressure to the global energy supply chain.

Multiple targets in Kuwait hit; air defense systems under strain

Since mid-March 2026, Kuwait has become a target of multiple drone-attack incidents. In addition to the Al Ahmad port refinery, the adjacent Mina Abdullah refinery (Mina Abdullah refinery) was also hit, causing a fire; the emergency team controlled it, and there were no casualties.

In late March, Kuwait International Airport’s fuel storage tanks were attacked by drones, triggering large-scale fires; fortunately, there were no injuries. In addition, after an attack on a Kuwait oil tanker in waters near Dubai, it caught fire; other reports indicate that some military facilities were also targeted, and in certain incidents there were injuries.

Kuwait’s air defense system has reportedly intercepted multiple waves of incoming threats, but some drones have still broken through, causing limited damage to infrastructure.

The continued attacks on the Al Ahmad port refinery have led to doubts among observers about the stability of Kuwait’s short-term refining capacity. As a key oil exporter in the Gulf, the operating status of Kuwait’s refining facilities has a direct impact on oil product supply in the region and even globally.

Disruption to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz further amplifies uncertainty in the supply chain. This strait is a key chokepoint for global crude oil trade, and if passage remains obstructed, it will form a material shock to global energy markets.

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