Horror footage captured the moment an Iranian missile strike blew up Bahrain’s biggest petroleum refinery in a move that sent global oil prices soaring and stocks tumbling as the war rumbles on
Oil prices have rocketed again after Iran blew up the biggest petrol refinery in Bahrain as the war in the Middle East continued to escalate. The price of crude oil jumped on Thursday night after the missile attack in Ma’ameer.
Horror social media footage shows the primary refinery for the Bahrain Petroleum Company engulfed in a fireball after it was struck by an Iranian ballistic missile. Huge plumes of thick smoke can be seen rising into the sky while a large fire rages.
Global oil prices soared in the hours after the strike, with the international benchmark Brent North Sea crude jumping almost 4% to $85.24 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate prices rose by more than 6% to $80.80 per barrel, the highest level since January last year.
Bahrain’s Ministry of the Interior confirmed the attack, saying on social media: “One facility in Maameer was targeted, and the relevant authorities are handling the incident. ‘
“The fire that broke out in one of the facilities in Maameer, which was targeted by the Iranian aggression, has been brought under control. Limited material damage was reported, with no loss of life”
The refinery, run by Bahrain’s state oil company Bapco, is located on Bahrain’s east coast, south of the capital Manama. It has a maximum production capacity of 267,000 barrels of oil per day and storage capacity for up to 14 million barrels.
The Bahrain Defence Force said it had taken out 75 missiles and 123 drones it said was “targeting the Kingdom since the start of the brutal Iranian aggression”. Military analysts said the attack was likely due to the country’s close strategic relationship with the US.
Bahrain is one of several Gulf countries to be targeted by Iran in a bombing blitz. Violence has spread across the region, with attacks also reported in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait. Meanwhile, global stocks tumbled as the war continued to spook investors.
Travel firms suffered once more with Wizz Air falling 11% after warning the ongoing tension is set to wipe millions of its profits for 2026. British Airways owner IAG fell 3.6% and budget airline EasyJet dipped 5%.
It comes after motorists in the UK were urged not to panic buy petrol amid rising prices after Iran’s biggest oil field closed and tankers were left stranded in the Gulf as they came under drone attack.
The RAC’s Simon Williams said: “While the conflict in the Middle East undoubtedly has the potential to push up pump prices in the UK it’s not a certainty.”
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