Iran alleges Israeli false-flag Aramco attack.

On March 2, 2026, a drone attack targeted the Ras Tanura oil refinery, owned and operated by Saudi Aramco, causing a limited fire that was quickly brought under control and prompting a temporary shutdown of the facility. Saudi authorities reported that two drones were intercepted and that debris caused the incident, with no reported injuries.

Following the incident, Iranian officials publicly denied involvement in the attack on Saudi energy infrastructure and said Tehran had not carried out strikes against Saudi Aramco facilities.

Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim News Agency quoted unnamed Iranian military sources claiming that the attack on the Saudi oil facilities was part of an Israeli operation designed as a “false flag” action to mislead regional states and shift attention away from attacks on civilian sites within Iran. The sources cited purported intelligence suggesting that Israel was responsible for the strike and that targets such as Fujairah Port in the United Arab Emirates could be next.

Skepticism and competing claims regarding responsibility for the drone attack have circulated amid broader regional conflict. Saudi defence officials did not publicly assign responsibility for the incident, focusing on firefighting and operational assessments at the Ras Tanura site, which is among the world’s largest oil facilities.

Iranian officials emphasized that Iran had informed Saudi authorities that it was not behind the strike on Saudi energy infrastructure. The broader Middle Eastern conflict, involving Iranian retaliation and U.S.–Israeli military action, has contributed to heightened regional tensions and uncertainty about accountability for specific attacks on energy infrastructure.