The New Energy War: Which Country has Taken the Hardest Hit?

The 2026 wars have opened a dangerous new front: energy infrastructure itself has become a battlefield.

From January 1 to August 11, major refineries and energy facilities across Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Israel and Libya have come under attack.

But the pattern is striking:

Russia — by Far the Most Targeted

Ukraine has repeatedly struck Russian refining infrastructure, hitting at least 16 major refineries in the period covered by the original map, with several facilities attacked multiple times.

And the campaign did not stop there.

On August 11, Ukraine reported strikes on the Orsk refinery and another Russian refinery in Khabarovsk Krai. Reuters reported that Orsk can process up to 6 million tonnes of crude annually.

The cumulative effect is becoming visible: Russian oil refining reportedly fell in July to its lowest level in more than two decades, while Moscow has increasingly faced pressure on domestic fuel supplies.

Iran — Fewer Refineries Hit, but a Much Broader Energy War

The US-Israeli campaign targeted Iranian refining infrastructure, including Tehran and Abadan.

But Iran’s energy vulnerability cannot be measured simply by counting refineries. The wider conflict also targeted major oil and gas infrastructure, creating risks far beyond refining capacity.

The Gulf — Fewer Targets, Huge Global Consequences

Iranian strikes reached major Gulf energy infrastructure.

Saudi Arabia temporarily shut its 550,000-bpd Ras Tanura refinery after the March 2 attack.

Kuwait’s Mina al-Ahmadi refinery, processing roughly 730,000 barrels per day, was hit repeatedly, forcing several units offline.

Israeli and Gulf energy facilities were also repeatedly drawn into the conflict.

Yemen → Saudi Energy Infrastructure

Houthi attacks have added another layer of pressure, including strikes targeting the Jazan refinery, while the Yanbu refinery has also been reported as a possible target.

LIBYA

The Zawiya refinery was reportedly struck on August 8–10 by an unidentified actor, adding North Africa to the expanding map of energy-infrastructure attacks.

So WHO was Hit Hardest?

By the number and frequency of refinery attacks: 🇷🇺 RUSSIA.

The Russian refining sector has clearly absorbed the largest sustained campaign of direct attacks in this dataset.

But there is an important distinction:

Russia has suffered the greatest direct pressure on refining capacity — while the Gulf has arguably carried the greatest systemic risk for the global energy market.

Why?

Because Gulf infrastructure sits at the heart of global oil and LNG flows. The March attacks demonstrated how quickly strikes on Saudi, Kuwaiti and other regional energy facilities could threaten international supply chains.

The Bigger Story

This is no longer simply a war over territory.

It is becoming a war over:

Refining capacity

Export terminals

Oil & gas fields

Power infrastructure

Domestic fuel supplies

Maritime chokepoints

The strategic calculation is changing:

You don’t necessarily have to destroy an oil industry. You only need to make it uncertain, expensive and difficult to operate.

And that raises a much bigger question:

If energy infrastructure becomes a legitimate target in modern warfare, how long before the world’s major energy corridors become permanent battlefields?