Live Updates: U.S. reducing troop footprint in Middle East, sources say, as indirect talks on ceasefire proposal with Iran continue - CBS News
The U.S. is reducing its troop footprint in the Middle East while maintaining a blockade on Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Saudi Aramco has significantly increased its pipeline capacity to bypass the strait.
Why it matters
These developments reflect a complex shift in U.S. military posture and regional energy security strategies amidst ongoing tensions with Iran.
The president of Saudi's state-owned oil company Aramco, whose sites have been targeted by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militants, says the amount of oil moving through a pipeline that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz has more than tripled.
The East-West pipeline's capacity has surged from 2 million to 7 million barrels each day, President and CEO Amin Nasser said in an interview with Saudi-owned television Al Arabiya Business.
Built in the early 1980s, the pipeline played a crucial role in Saudi Arabia's ability to export oil following the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war.
Nasser said the company has used drones to assess damage caused by oilfield attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels and to help with firefighting.
The U.S. Central Command posted a celebration Thursday of 100 days of its reinstated blockade on Iranian ships entering or exiting ports through the Strait of Hormuz.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in