Kuwait reports second refinery fire after drone attack at Mina Al-Ahmadi
The refinery, one of the largest in the Middle East, has a production capacity of about 730,000 barrels per day. Authorities said the blaze caused no injuries
- Mar 19, 2026,
- Updated Mar 19, 2026 2:40 PM IST
A drone attack triggered a fire at Kuwait’s Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery on Thursday, according to the state-run KUNA news agency, citing Kuwait Petroleum Corp.
Also read: West Asia war: South Pars, Ras Laffan under the line of fire; All about the gas sites
The refinery, one of the largest in the Middle East, has a production capacity of about 730,000 barrels per day. Authorities said the blaze caused no injuries. The incident marks the second refinery fire reported in Kuwait following a drone strike.
Also read: Indian crude oil basket hits $146.09 per barrel: How it will impact India
Kuwait Petroleum Corp. said the fire broke out after the refinery was hit by a drone.
Mina Al-Ahmadi is a key component of Kuwait's oil refining system and plays a central role in the country's export capacity.
The attack comes amid another phase of escalation in the region, where energy facilities have increasingly come under threat.
On Wednesday, Israel struck Iran's South Pars, the world's largest gas field located offshore in the Persian Gulf and owned jointly by Iran and Qatar. Tehran retaliated by striking Qatari liquefied natural gas facilities and a Kuwaiti oil refinery.
A ship burned off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, and another was damaged off Qatar.
Qatar, a key source of natural gas for world markets, said firefighters put out a blaze at a major LNG facility after it was hit by Iranian missile attacks. Production had already been halted there after earlier attacks, but it said the latest wave of missiles caused "sizeable fires and extensive further damage."
As the war dangerously escalated, US President Donald Trump pledged that Israel would make no more attacks on Iran's gas field. He, however, warned that if Iran attacked Qatar again, the US would retaliate and "massively blow up the entirety" of the field.
Trump made his threat on Truth Social. "I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long-term implications that it will have on the future of Iran," Trump said, but added that he would "not hesitate to do so" if Qatar's liquified natural gas sites were attacked again".
A drone attack triggered a fire at Kuwait’s Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery on Thursday, according to the state-run KUNA news agency, citing Kuwait Petroleum Corp.
Also read: West Asia war: South Pars, Ras Laffan under the line of fire; All about the gas sites
The refinery, one of the largest in the Middle East, has a production capacity of about 730,000 barrels per day. Authorities said the blaze caused no injuries. The incident marks the second refinery fire reported in Kuwait following a drone strike.
Also read: Indian crude oil basket hits $146.09 per barrel: How it will impact India
Kuwait Petroleum Corp. said the fire broke out after the refinery was hit by a drone.
Mina Al-Ahmadi is a key component of Kuwait's oil refining system and plays a central role in the country's export capacity.
The attack comes amid another phase of escalation in the region, where energy facilities have increasingly come under threat.
On Wednesday, Israel struck Iran's South Pars, the world's largest gas field located offshore in the Persian Gulf and owned jointly by Iran and Qatar. Tehran retaliated by striking Qatari liquefied natural gas facilities and a Kuwaiti oil refinery.
A ship burned off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, and another was damaged off Qatar.
Qatar, a key source of natural gas for world markets, said firefighters put out a blaze at a major LNG facility after it was hit by Iranian missile attacks. Production had already been halted there after earlier attacks, but it said the latest wave of missiles caused "sizeable fires and extensive further damage."
As the war dangerously escalated, US President Donald Trump pledged that Israel would make no more attacks on Iran's gas field. He, however, warned that if Iran attacked Qatar again, the US would retaliate and "massively blow up the entirety" of the field.
Trump made his threat on Truth Social. "I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long-term implications that it will have on the future of Iran," Trump said, but added that he would "not hesitate to do so" if Qatar's liquified natural gas sites were attacked again".