Saudi Arabia attributes attack on East-West oil pipeline to drones launched from Iraq
Quick Look
- The Saudi government attributed the attack on the East-West oil pipeline, which led to its closure, to drones launched from Iraq, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Riyadh.
- The attack caused personal and material damage, leaving several injured.
- Iraq condemned the attack and announced an investigation to identify those responsible.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The East-West pipeline (Petroline) is a 1,200 km strategic infrastructure that transports up to seven million barrels per day from the eastern oil fields to Yanbu, allowing Saudi Arabia to export crude oil avoiding the Strait of Hormuz. It has been the target of previous attacks by Houthis and Iranians.
The Saudi Government has attributed the attack on the East-West oil pipeline, which forced its closure, to drones launched from Iraq, as reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Riyadh.
Through a statement, the ministry condemned "the attack against the East-West oil pipeline in the regions of Riyadh and Medina - to the west - perpetrated by several drones from Iraq, which has caused personal and material damage that is currently in the process of repair."
"The pipeline was closed as a precaution," an official from the Ministry of Energy previously stated, specifying that the attacks that occurred on Thursday morning against this vital infrastructure - which connects the Gulf with the Red Sea - left several people injured.
Iraq has condemned any attack that threatens Saudi security and said its prime minister had ordered an investigation to identify those responsible, according to a statement from its armed forces.
Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline, also called Petroline, is a strategic infrastructure that crosses the country from the oil fields in the east, in the Persian Gulf, to the port of Yanbu, in the Red Sea. It has a length of about 1,200 kilometers and a maximum capacity of seven million barrels per day. It is the main supply route to global markets in the current context of tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Its importance lies in the fact that it allows crude oil to be exported avoiding Hormuz, which led Saudi Arabia to increase its use to divert exports to Yanbu and mitigate the impact of the blockade and restrictions on the sea route.
However, the East-West pipeline also suffered threats and claimed attacks in recent months. At the end of July, the Houthis claimed to have attacked "several targets and sensitive points" with drones related to the supply and transportation of oil from eastern Saudi Arabia to Yanbu, that is, the route associated with the pipeline.
In April, Iranian attacks targeted a station on the East-West pipeline and caused a loss of approximately 700,000 barrels per day of volume pumped through that infrastructure, although pumping was later fully restored.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Saudi Arabia will increase security around the East-West pipeline and other key energy infrastructure.
Likely · Within weeks
The Iraqi investigation into the attack could implicate non-state armed groups operating on its territory.
Possible · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Who exactly is responsible for the drone attack from Iraq?
- What type of specific damage did the pipeline suffer and how long will it take to be fully repaired?
- Will Iraq present evidence linking or ruling out the responsibility of state or non-state actors on its territory?
