Summary:

• Drone strikes reportedly linked to Iran triggered fires at Oman’s Mina petroleum facility near Salalah.

• Authorities evacuated all vessels from the Mina Al Fahal oil export terminal as a precaution.

• The terminal handles roughly 1 million barrels per day of Omani crude exports.

• Mina Al Fahal is strategically located outside the Strait of Hormuz, providing an alternative export route.

• Other regional export hubs including Fujairah (UAE) and Yanbu (Saudi Arabia) remain operational.

• The attacks highlight rising risks to energy infrastructure and shipping routes in the Gulf region.

Drone strikes targeting energy infrastructure in Oman have triggered fires at a petroleum facility linked to the Port of Salalah and forced authorities to evacuate vessels from the country’s key oil export terminal at Mina Al Fahal.

According to reports, multiple large fires were still spreading across parts of the Mina petroleum facility following the attacks, which were attributed to Iranian drone strikes against the port area and nearby infrastructure on Wednesday.

As a precautionary measure, Oman has ordered all vessels to leave the Mina Al Fahal oil terminal after security risks escalated in surrounding waters. Shipping sources said the evacuation notice was distributed through port agents to tanker operators in the area.

Mina Al Fahal plays a crucial role in Oman’s energy exports, handling roughly one million barrels of crude oil per day. The terminal serves as a primary outlet for Omani crude shipments to global markets and is one of the few major Middle Eastern export facilities located outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Its location on the Gulf of Oman provides a strategic alternative export route that bypasses the narrow shipping chokepoint at Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supply typically passes.

The evacuation underscores the rising risks to maritime energy infrastructure as the conflict involving Iran continues to escalate across the region. In recent weeks, several incidents involving attacks on shipping and port infrastructure have heightened concerns about supply disruptions and maritime security in the Gulf.

Despite the evacuation in Oman, other regional export terminals remain operational. Shipments from the UAE’s Fujairah terminal, another facility positioned outside the Strait of Hormuz, are continuing, though some shipowners have reportedly become more cautious about calling at the port due to security concerns.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu export terminal on the Red Sea remains fully operational, providing an additional alternative route for crude exports that avoids the Gulf’s most sensitive shipping corridors.

Energy markets are closely monitoring developments at Oman’s export infrastructure given its role as a strategic outlet that bypasses Hormuz. Any prolonged disruption could amplify fears of broader supply interruptions if tensions escalate further across Gulf shipping routes.