RIYADH-(MaraviPost)-Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut down its strategically important East-West oil pipeline after multiple attacks struck facilities along the route, causing fires and injuries and raising fresh concerns about the security of the kingdom’s oil-export infrastructure.
The development was reported by CNN, citing two US officials familiar with the incident, while Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry confirmed that the pipeline had been attacked and was closed as a precaution.
Saudi authorities said emergency and technical teams were deployed to secure the facility and assess the damage.
The East-West pipeline has become increasingly important to Saudi Arabia because it provides an alternative route for transporting crude from the country’s eastern oil fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, allowing exports to avoid the Strait of Hormuz.
The pipeline has reportedly been carrying around 5 million barrels of oil per day amid disruptions to Gulf shipping.
US officials said an initial assessment indicated that pumping stations located alongside the pipeline were hit. Satellite imagery reviewed by CNN showed significant fire damage at one pumping station, while another image showed a fire producing thick black smoke.
However, it remains unclear whether the pipeline itself suffered direct structural damage or how long repairs could take.
One US official told CNN that the attacks appeared to involve drones launched from Iraq, although responsibility had not been conclusively established. Saudi Arabia has since said it is giving the Iraqi government an opportunity to investigate and prevent further attacks launched from Iraqi territory, while reserving its right to take measures necessary to protect its territory and critical infrastructure.
The pipeline attack comes as security threats around Saudi Arabia’s oil-export routes intensify.
Iran-aligned Houthi forces in Yemen have also threatened Saudi shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, creating additional pressure on a country increasingly dependent on alternative routes to move its crude to international markets.
The latest disruption has also added pressure to global oil markets. Brent crude has moved above $100 a barrel amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, underscoring the potential international consequences of attacks on infrastructure that connects one of the world’s largest oil producers to global consumers.
Saudi Arabia’s pipeline shutdown therefore represents more than a temporary operational measure.
It highlights the growing vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure as regional conflict increasingly threatens both oil production and the routes used to transport crude to international markets.
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