Oil loading has resumed at the UAE’s vital Fujairah port after a drone strike triggered a fire there on Saturday, easing immediate concerns for global energy traders. Reports from Reuters and Bloomberg, based on industry insiders, confirm that operations halted briefly but picked up again by Sunday, preventing broader disruptions at this key bunkering hub.
An ADNOC spokesperson, representing the Abu Dhabi oil giant active in the area, referred media enquiries to the Fujairah Media Office, which has not yet commented.
The incident unfolded against a backdrop of escalating threats from Iran, which on Saturday warned of strikes on UAE infrastructure. Tehran labelled three major ports—Jebel Ali, Khalifa, and Fujairah—as legitimate targets, alleging U.S. forces used them for recent assaults. Iran’s judiciary news agency Mizan made the unsubstantiated claim and called for urgent evacuations, warning that the sites “may be targeted in the coming hours.”
This rhetoric came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump disclosed airstrikes on Iranian military targets at Kharg Island, a linchpin of the country’s oil exports that processes nearly 90 per cent of its crude with a daily capacity of 7 million barrels.
Analysts emphasise the island’s fragility as an economic chokepoint, though any serious bid to capture it would demand ground troops—a step the U.S. seems unwilling to take. Such escalation risks sustaining already lofty oil prices.
Brent crude closed above $100 a barrel for the second straight day on Friday, having surged over 40 per cent since the Iran conflict erupted.
Fujairah itself plays a crucial role in diversifying UAE exports via its Indian Ocean route, sidestepping the volatile Strait of Hormuz. The port meets around 20 per cent of global marine fuel demand, and past disruptions like the 2019 tanker attacks underscored its sway over markets.
Swift recovery here has steadied nerves, but Iran’s proven drone tactics, seen in earlier Saudi strikes, and bolstered UAE defences keep the region on edge. Forecasters at Goldman Sachs predict Brent could near $120 if hostilities intensify.