Major UAE oil terminal erupts in flames hours after US strikes Iran’s Kharg Island

Videos circulating across social media platforms showed thick black smoke billowing from the direction of Fujairah, a coastal city that hosts one of the region’s most strategically important oil terminals.

The port plays a crucial role in global energy trade and serves as a major export point for crude oil shipments from the Gulf.

Authorities say drone debris sparked fire

Officials in the UAE said the blaze was triggered by debris that fell after air defence systems intercepted a drone.

In an online statement, authorities confirmed that fragments from the intercepted drone ignited a fire.

However, they did not disclose the precise location of the incident within the Fujairah port area.

The UAE Ministry of Defence later confirmed that the country’s air defence systems were actively responding to Iranian ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones targeting the region.

US strikes Iran’s key oil hub

Earlier on Saturday, US President Donald Trump announced that American forces had conducted airstrikes against targets on Kharg Island.

The island is the centrepiece of Iran’s oil export infrastructure and handles the vast majority of the country’s crude shipments to international markets.

Analysts estimate that nearly all Iranian oil exports pass through facilities located on the island.

Trump warned that Iran’s oil infrastructure could face additional attacks as tensions between Washington and Tehran intensify.

Energy facilities become primary targets

Energy infrastructure across the Gulf has increasingly become a central target since the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran escalated on February 28.

Earlier in the conflict, Israeli forces struck oil depots in Tehran. Iran later responded by targeting energy installations across the Gulf region.

Several major facilities have come under threat or attack, including the vast Ras Tanura refinery in Saudi Arabia, the Ras Laffan gas processing base in Qatar, and the industrial complex that houses the Ruwais refinery in the United Arab Emirates.

These sites represent some of the largest energy processing and export hubs in the world, making them strategically important targets during the ongoing conflict.

Strait of Hormuz shipping disrupted

The conflict has also severely disrupted shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most critical maritime chokepoints for global energy supplies.

Before hostilities escalated, roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments moved through this narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to global markets.

Iran has effectively halted or restricted vessel traffic through parts of the route, significantly increasing pressure on global energy supply chains and raising concerns among governments and shipping companies worldwide.