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Drone strikes SAMREF refinery at Yanbu — second hit on Saudi's largest Red Sea export terminal

·SAMREF Refinery, Yanbu Industrial City, Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's defence ministry confirmed a drone fell at SAMREF refinery at the Red Sea port of Yanbu — confirmed by Saudi MoD as a key energy export terminal. This is a separate incident from the ballistic missile that struck SAMREF earlier in the day. Damage still being assessed. The drone strike marks a second hit on the same refinery within hours by two different delivery systems.

The New York Times Day 20 live blog reported that 'a drone fell at a key energy export terminal in Saudi Arabia' as part of the same overnight wave that struck Kuwait's Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery. This is a separate incident from the ballistic missile strike on the SAMREF refinery in Yanbu (confirmed earlier on March 19). Saudi Arabia authorities had confirmed active drone and missile interceptions overnight, per the Saudi Ministry of Defence (@modgovksa, tweet ID 2034457368633684332). Saudi Arabia's key energy export terminals include Ras Tanura (largest crude oil export terminal in the world, on the Gulf coast, ~26.64°N, 50.16°E) and Yanbu Export Terminal (Red Sea). The specific terminal hit has not been publicly confirmed. Saudi air defences have been active throughout the night intercepting multiple drones. The combination of the SAMREF ballistic missile strike and this drone on an export terminal represents Iran's most sustained attack on Saudi energy infrastructure in the war.
Saudi Arabiaenergy terminaldroneIran strikeexport

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Second Iranian strike on Saudi energy infrastructure overnight — drone reaches a key export terminal following the SAMREF Yanbu ballistic missile strike.

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