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A wave of attacks aimed at Middle East oil infrastructure has been reported since the US-Iran war erupted on 28 February.

In Bahrain, an Iranian missile struck the 405,000-barrel-per-day Sitra refinery operated by Bapco Energies on 5 March. In Kuwait, debris injured workers at the 346,000-barrel-per-day Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery.

Meanwhile, Saudi oil giant Saudi Aramco shut its 550,000-barrel-per-day Ras Tanura refinery on 2 March after debris from intercepted drones fell on the facility, which was targeted again on 4 March.

The Ruwais Industrial Complex contains two large refineries operated by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) - Ruwais West, with a capacity of around 417,000 barrels per day, and Ruwais East, which can process about 400,000 barrels per day.

Together, the facilities form one of the largest refining hubs in the region, handling crude processing as well as petrochemical and industrial production.

Officials have not yet confirmed which part of the complex was affected by the drone strike that caused the fire.

The UAE Ministry of Defence says six people have been killed and 122 injured since the start of the Iranian attacks targeting the country.

According to the ministry, those killed include Emirati, Pakistani, Nepalese and Bangladeshi nationals, while the injured – who sustained minor to moderate wounds – include people from more than 20 different nationalities.

The UAE said its air defences intercepted eight ballistic missiles and 26 drones during the latest wave of attacks on Tuesday.

According to the Ministry of Defence, nine ballistic missiles were detected, with eight destroyed and one falling into the sea. Authorities also reported 35 drones, of which 26 were intercepted while nine landed within the country.

Officials said the military remains on high alert and ready to respond to further threats as tensions in the region continue to escalate.

Iran prviously claimed that one of the radar systems linked to the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defence network was struck near Ruwais earlier this month.

According to Iranian state media, the radar was among several AN/TPY-2 early-warning radar installations allegedly hit during coordinated ballistic missile strikes across the Gulf and Levant as part of a wider retaliatory campaign.

However, the claims have not been independently verified by U.S. or UAE officials.

Australia will send air-to-air missiles to the United Arab Emirates and deploy a long-range surveillance aircraft to help protect Gulf airspace amid the escalating conflict with Iran.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the deployment, which includes a Boeing E‑7A Wedgetail reconnaissance aircraft and supporting personnel, is intended to support the region’s collective self-defence.

Speaking at a news conference, Albanese said: "Helping Australians means also helping the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf nations defend themselves against what are unprovoked attacks."

He added that the move is defensive only, stressing that Australia is not deploying troops or taking offensive action against Iran.

Previous to this strike, the UAE condemned attacks linked to the escalating regional conflict, saying the country is being targeted "in a very unwarranted manner."

Speaking on Monday, UAE ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva Jamal Al Musharakh warned that the situation risked further destabilising the region, while stressing that the UAE would not allow its territory to be used to launch attacks against Iran.

He added: "The UAE does not seek to be drawn into conflict or escalation."

The Ruwais Industrial Complex is located in the Al Dhafra Region of Abu Dhabi, around 240km (150 miles) west of Abu Dhabi city along the coast of the Persian Gulf.

The vast site sits near the town of Ruwais and forms a key part of the operations of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). It is one of the largest oil refining and petrochemical hubs in the Middle East.

According to Alaraby TV, a pan-Arab news and current affairs television channel, UAE's Ruwais Refinery has been closed as a precaution.

The reported strike comes at a time of heightened tensions across the Middle East following the escalation of conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States.

In recent days, drone and missile attacks have targeted multiple sites across the Gulf, including energy facilities and military installations

The Ruwais complex houses the fourth largest single-site oil refinery in the world and is the largest in the middle East. 

The vast complex houses several facilities operated by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), with the capacity to refine up to 922,000 barrels of oil per day, highlighting its significance to the region’s energy sector.

Ruwais also plays a key role in Abu Dhabi's downstream operations, hosting major chemical, fertiliser and industrial gas plants, making it one of the emirate’s most important energy hubs.

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In the last half an hour, a Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesperson has issued a stark warning, as reported by the official Al Jazeera Mubasher News account: