Saudi pipeline that bypasses Hormuz shut after attacks
The kingdom said the East-West pipeline was targeted by drones launched from Iraq, causing several injuries
Saudi Arabia closed its East-West pipeline, a key alternative to the Strait of Hormuz for its oil exports, following multiple attacks on Thursday.
The conduit was shut as a precautionary measure, the Ministry of Energy said on Friday in a social media post. The attacks caused several injuries and emergency teams are taking steps to secure the pipeline and assess its safety, the ministry said.
Several drones launched from Iraq attacked the pipeline in the Riyadh and Madinah regions, Saudi’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on social media.
Fighting has intensified across the Middle East in recent days, with the Yemen-based Houthis saying they targeted Saudi’s energy facilities in Abha, Najran and Jazan while the US conducted strikes against Iranian oil tankers.
The East-West pipeline has proved to be a critical lifeline for Saudi Arabia’s oil exports amid disruption from the Iran war.
The 7 million barrel-a-day conduit quickly reached full capacity earlier this year after tanker traffic came to a near standstill in the Strait of Hormuz.