Saudi Arabia shuts oil pipeline after drone attack:Pipeline carried 5 million barrels daily after Strait of Hormuz closure

Saudi Arabia has shut its East-West oil pipeline after multiple drone attacks on Thursday targeted pumping stations linked to the network. The attacks sparked fires at the facilities and injured several people. The pipeline had become crucial after the Strait of Hormuz was closed amid the war with Iran. Saudi Arabia had been transporting around 5 million barrels of oil daily through the pipeline to the western coast. Pumping stations damaged, pipeline’s status unclear Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said the pipeline came under several attacks on Thursday. It was subsequently shut down as a precaution while ministry teams worked to secure the network and assess the damage. US officials said the attacks targeted pumping stations located near the pipeline. These facilities help maintain the flow of oil through the network. Satellite images taken on Friday showed extensive fire damage at one pumping station, while another image showed black smoke rising from the facility. The extent of direct damage to the pipeline remains unclear. It is also not known when oil transportation through the pipeline will resume. No country or organisation has claimed responsibility for the attacks so far. Saudi Arabia blames drones from Iraq Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said several drones targeted the pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions. Riyadh claimed that the drones came from Iraq. Saudi Arabia said it had decided against a retaliatory attack for now following a request from the Iraqi prime minister. Riyadh wants Baghdad to take action to prevent attacks from being launched from Iraqi territory. Iraq has condemned the attacks and said it would investigate the incident. The Iraqi government also said it would not allow its territory or airspace to be used to attack other countries.
Why the East-West pipeline matters Most of Saudi Arabia’s crude is produced in the country’s eastern region. Oil is generally transported to international markets by ships, which must pass through the Strait of Hormuz to leave the Persian Gulf. The closure of Hormuz following the war with Iran disrupted this route and increased the importance of Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline. The pipeline carries crude from the eastern oil-producing region directly to Yanbu port on the Red Sea, allowing Saudi Arabia to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia had been sending around 5 million barrels of oil a day through the pipeline to Yanbu after Hormuz was closed. The crude can then be loaded onto ships and transported to international markets. Red Sea route also faces disruption The Red Sea shipping route could also face further disruption after the Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed control of the area around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed that Saudi-backed forces had lost control of Perim Island, located in the strait. The Houthis also claimed control over around 5,400 square kilometres of territory. Bab al-Mandeb is a key shipping route connecting Asia and Europe. Oil tankers use the route to travel through the Red Sea towards Europe and other international markets. If both the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb routes face prolonged disruption, alternative oil transportation routes could come under additional pressure.