Saudi Arabian Oil Site Attacked, Stoking Regional Tensions

Oil production not affected; missiles and drones intercepted
Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen claim attacks on kingdom

WATCH: Oil surged above $70 after Saudi Arabia said one of the most protected crude facilities in the world came under missile attack. Aaron Clark reports.(Source: Bloomberg)

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By Anthony Di Paola, Vivian Nereim, Javier Blas, and Sylvia Westall

March 7, 2021 at 12:13 AM EST

Updated on

March 8, 2021 at 2:16 PM EST

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Saudi Arabia said some of the world’s most protected oil infrastructure came under missile and drone attack in an escalation of regional hostilities that pushed up crude prices.

The attacks on Sunday were intercepted, Saudi Arabia said, and oil output appeared to be unaffected. But the latest in a spate of assaults claimed by Iran-backed Houthi rebels briefly pushed oil prices to above $70 a barrel for the first time since January 2020 and will likely complicate efforts by U.S. President Joe Biden to engage in nuclear diplomacy with Iran.

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