KATHMANDU: A major oil refinery in Ras Tanura, a key city in eastern Saudi Arabia, has suffered severe damage following a drone attack, according to satellite imagery verified by BBC Verify.

New images captured on Tuesday by the commercial satellite company Vhantor show fires around the cooling towers at the heart of the refinery, with charred black marks clearly visible.

The affected section is considered the refinery’s core, connecting various storage units to the main pier through a network of pipelines.

The facility has a daily production capacity of 550,000 barrels of oil and can simultaneously fuel four large tankers, making it one of the world’s most critical petroleum hubs.

Following the attack, Saudi state-owned oil company Aramco announced a temporary shutdown of the refinery.

Machinery and pipeline damage from the drone strike necessitated technical repairs and safety inspections before resuming operations.

The strike on such a strategic facility, which accounts for a substantial portion of global oil supply, has raised concerns over potential spikes in international fuel prices.