Abu Dhabi has suspended operations at its biggest natural gas processing facility after a fire broke out following an aerial attack, marking the second time the plant has been shut down since the war in the Middle East began.
The Habshan gas facility was halted after debris from the interception of an incoming attack fell in the area. The Abu Dhabi Media Office confirmed the incident in a post on X. The post also confirms that no injuries have been reported in the incident.
Habshan is a critical piece of the UAE's energy infrastructure. The plant is also the starting point for Adnoc's crude oil pipeline to Fujairah, a strategically important port on the Gulf of Oman that sits outside the Strait of Hormuz, making it a key alternative route for oil exports that bypasses the increasingly troubled strait.
The attack on Habshan was not an isolated incident. Bloomberg reports that hours earlier, Kuwait's Mina Al Ahmadi oil refinery was also struck, with units that were in operation at the time catching fire.
Authorities additionally confirmed that a power and water desalination plant was attacked early on Friday, causing damage to some of its components.
The string of strikes signals a dangerous widening of attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure. The region is already under severe strain, the ongoing conflict has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, pushed oil prices above $100 a barrel, and sent global fertiliser and food prices sharply higher.
Any prolonged halt could tighten domestic energy supply in the UAE and add further pressure to already strained global commodity markets.
Neither Adnoc nor Abu Dhabi authorities have confirmed a timeline for resuming operations at the facility.
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