Journal · · 2 min read
Houthis claim missile strike on Saudi Arabia's largest refinery at Ras Tanura — Riyadh has not confirmed it
According to Reuters and Bloomberg (October 27, 2026), Yemen's Houthis said they hit Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura oil refinery — the kingdom's largest, with a capacity of 550,000 barrels per day and a shipping terminal attached — with a ballistic missile. Bloomberg, citing a source, reported a fire near the Ras Tanura terminal that was contained within a few hours. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said it intercepted three ballistic missiles headed toward the Eastern Province and four drones, without confirming any link between those intercepts and the fire at Ras Tanura. Saudi Arabia has not officially confirmed the cause of the fire or any damage as of publication. Oil prices rose: Brent traded above $115–116.5 a barrel, WTI above $101–102.5.
On October 27, 2026, Yemen's Houthis, via military spokesperson Yahya Saree, said they hit Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura oil refinery — the kingdom's largest, with a capacity of around 550,000 barrels per day and a shipping terminal attached — with a ballistic missile. The claim is confirmed by two independent news agencies: Reuters reported the Houthi claim of a strike and fire, while Bloomberg, citing a person familiar with the matter, reported that a fire near the Ras Tanura terminal was contained within a few hours.
Saudi Arabia has not confirmed the attack. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said it intercepted three ballistic missiles headed toward the Eastern Province and four drones aimed at the kingdom's southern region, but did not directly link those intercepts to the fire at Ras Tanura. Before the regional conflict began, Ras Tanura exported more than 5 million barrels of crude a day; in March 2026, debris from intercepted drones already sparked a fire at the site, forcing Aramco to temporarily halt some units.
For shipping and the tanker market, this is another episode in the escalation around the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea: Saudi Arabia continues rerouting about 4 million barrels a day through the 1,200-kilometer East-West pipeline to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, which has also come under attack previously. Oil prices reacted with a jump: Brent traded above $115–116.5 a barrel and WTI above $101–102.5, with minor discrepancies between sources on the exact quotes as of publication. For carriers and traders working the Gulf, this is a signal to factor in a risk premium and possible delays when chartering tankers on routes through the Persian Gulf.
Source: Reuters, October 27, 2026 — https://www.investing.com/news/commodities-news/yemens-houthis-say-they-hit-saudi-ras-tanura-oil-refinery-with-missile-4976138; Türkiye Today (citing Bloomberg), October 27, 2026 — https://www.turkiyetoday.com/business/oil-prices-rise-as-saudi-ras-tanura-hub-catches-fire-after-houthi-attack-3231114
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