Saudi Arabia halted a key oil pipeline after the attacks, allowing it to bypass the blocked Strait of Hormuz
Kyiv • UNN
Following a drone attack, Saudi Arabia temporarily halted the East-West oil pipeline. The drones may have been launched from Iraq.
Saudi Arabia suspended operations of the East-West strategic oil pipeline after a drone attack that left several people injured. LRT reports this, citing the state-run SPA news agency, according to UNN.
Details
The pipeline transports oil from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea and makes it possible to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. Following the attack, the authorities took security measures and temporarily halted its operations.
There is currently no information about the extent of the possible damage. Saudi authorities have also not reported who was behind the attack.
The drones may have been launched from Iraq
According to CNN, citing U.S. officials, the drones attacked pumping stations along the pipeline, and may have been launched from Iraqi territory. Satellite imagery recorded fires, but it is unknown whether the pipeline itself was damaged.
The East-West oil pipeline is more than 1,200 km long. Its importance has grown amid the war with Iran and the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, as Saudi Arabia uses this route to redirect oil to the Red Sea.