New Wave of Iranian Drones Hits Kuwaiti Oil Infrastructure; Refinery Ablaze

Firefighters worked to contain a major blaze at a large oil refinery in Kuwait on Friday following a fresh drone strike, as Iran sustained a wave of attacks across the region and insisted there were no setbacks to its missile production.

The fire broke out at the Mina Al-Ahmadi Refinery, coming just a day after a separate strike hit Ras Laffan Industrial City, one of the Gulf’s most critical energy hubs. The developments occurred despite appeals from European leaders urging an end to attacks on vital energy infrastructure.

Tensions escalated after an Israeli strike earlier in the week damaged Iran’s South Pars Gas Field—a key facility tied to the world’s largest known gas reserve and crucial to the country’s domestic energy supply—prompting Tehran to vow retaliation.

The growing impact on Gulf infrastructure has driven oil and gas prices higher and raised concerns about potential long-term disruptions to global energy supply. However, Benjamin Netanyahu suggested the conflict might soon wind down, stating that Israel was gaining the upper hand and that the war could end sooner than expected.

Iranian officials, meanwhile, maintained a defiant stance. A spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Ali Mohammad Naini, asserted that the country’s missile programme remained intact and fully operational despite ongoing hostilities. Shortly after his remarks were reported, he was said to have been killed in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes.

Iran continues to hold strategic influence over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime route through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass.

Iranian media reported multiple missile launches targeting Israel overnight and into Friday morning, with explosions heard over Jerusalem, though no casualties were immediately confirmed. The United Arab Emirates also reported incoming missile threats, while Saudi Arabia said it intercepted more than a dozen drones as countries in the Gulf began observing Eid-el-Fitr.

The strike on Ras Laffan has intensified concerns among energy analysts, with reports indicating extensive damage that could cost billions in lost revenue and take years to fully repair. Experts warn that prolonged disruption could lead to sustained high energy prices, increased inflation, and reduced consumer spending globally.

Security analysts have also cautioned that further escalation—potentially involving broader military operations—could transform the regional conflict into a global economic crisis.

Although oil prices dipped briefly following comments suggesting a possible end to the war, they remained elevated amid continued instability and reports of fresh attacks, including the refinery fire in Kuwait.

The crisis has expanded beyond the immediate actors, with violence spilling into Lebanon, where Israeli airstrikes and exchanges with Hezbollah have caused significant casualties. Authorities say the death toll has exceeded 1,000 following sustained bombardments in the south, east, and parts of Beirut.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has renewed calls for a ceasefire and negotiations, while Emmanuel Macron indicated that diplomatic efforts to secure maritime routes such as the Strait of Hormuz would depend on a halt in hostilities.

Across the region, celebrations marking the end of Ramadan have been overshadowed by the conflict. In Lebanon, many families scaled back Eid festivities due to displacement and economic hardship.

In Iran, citizens marked both the spring festival of Nowruz and the end of Ramadan under the shadow of ongoing airstrikes, with many expressing hope for a pause in hostilities during the holiday period.

As the conflict continues, concerns are mounting not only over regional security but also over its far-reaching economic and humanitarian consequences.