Life in Saudi Arabia appeared largely normal over the past three days, with little visible indication of a new war erupting in the Gulf region. Most schools operated as usual on Monday morning, Saudi citizens and foreigners reported attending work and meetings routinely, and air traffic continued.

However, the situation could change following drone attacks on the area housing the country's largest oil refinery. Saudi authorities stated they intercepted multiple drones heading towards Riyadh.

According to reports, Saudi Aramco has suspended operations at the Ras Tanura refinery on the Persian Gulf to assess damage. Saudi officials confirmed that some units have been shut down. They attributed a fire at the facility to debris from two intercepted drones that were targeting the refinery.

An Iranian military source told the semi-official Mehr News Agency that regional oil facilities were not Tehran's intended targets.

The attack on Ras Tanura may alter Saudi Arabia's strategic calculations, as it marks the first incident since Iran began strikes against Gulf nations on Saturday—in response to bombings by Israel and the United States—that could significantly impact Saudi Arabia's $1.3 trillion economy.

For Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a direct threat to precious oil assets may represent a red line. In recent years, he has sought to maintain neutrality in regional conflicts, partly to avoid setbacks to his multi-trillion-dollar economic diversification plans.

Torbjorn Soltvedt, Chief Middle East Analyst at risk intelligence firm Verisk Maplecroft, noted, "The attack on Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura refinery signifies a notable escalation, bringing Gulf energy infrastructure squarely within Iran's targeting scope. This incident could also push Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbors closer to joining US and Israeli military actions against Iran."

Until a few years ago, Saudi oil facilities were frequent targets of attacks. In 2022, a strike by Yemen's Houthi rebels on a Saudi Aramco storage depot in Jeddah prompted retaliatory actions by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia's dissatisfaction with Iran appears to be intensifying. On Sunday, the kingdom escalated its rhetoric against Tehran, warning of consequences for Iran's actions, calling for a robust international response, and summoning the Iranian ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Ministers from Gulf Cooperation Council member states held a special meeting yesterday to discuss coordinated action to counter what they described as Tehran's "treacherous" and "malicious" behavior.

On Monday, Saudi Arabia confirmed intercepting five drones targeting sites in Riyadh, including the Prince Sultan Air Base, a US facility located about 60 miles from the capital.

As of this afternoon, air traffic in Riyadh remained operational with limited disruption. However, flights at King Fahd International Airport, near Saudi Aramco's largest oil field, have slowed since this morning. Travel activity is naturally lower than usual due to the ongoing Ramadan period in Saudi Arabia.