April 9, 2026 — Satellite Imagery Shows Smoke Rising from Saudi Aramco Abqaiq Facility.
Critical Infrastructure Hit
Satellite imagery from the European Space Agency confirmed large plumes of black smoke rising from Saudi Aramco's Abqaiq processing facility on April 8, hours after the ceasefire took effect. Abqaiq is the world's largest crude oil stabilization plant, processing approximately 5% of global oil supply before routing it to Saudi Arabia's east and west coast export terminals. The attack, attributed to Iranian drones, raised serious questions about the vulnerability of Gulf energy infrastructure and the true effectiveness of the ceasefire agreement.