Saudis shut down oil pipeline as Houthis tighten grip on Red Sea shipping
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut down its East-West oil pipeline following a drone attack attributed to Iranian-backed militias. The incident has exacerbated global energy concerns amid ongoing tensions in the Red Sea and the Middle East.
Why it matters
The disruption of critical energy infrastructure threatens to drive up global oil prices and highlights the vulnerability of supply chains in conflict zones.
ADEN/DUBAI, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has shut down its East-West pipeline after the vital oil conduit came under aerial attack in the widening Middle East war, threatening to send energy prices even higher.
The world’s largest crude oil exporter temporarily closed the pipeline after a drone attack that both Baghdad and Riyadh said had originated in Iraq, where Iranian-backed militias operate. Iraq dismissed a military commander on Saturday in response to the attack.
The 1,200-km (745-mile) pipeline running across the Arabian Peninsula had helped Saudi Arabia to bypass a shipping logjam in the Strait of Hormuz, where tanker traffic has slowed to a trickle due to the six-month war between the U.S. and Iran.
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