Saudi Arabia says East-West pipeline hit by drones launched from Iraq
Saudi Arabia said its East-West oil pipeline was struck by multiple drones that originated from Iraq, causing injuries and material damage and prompting a temporary shutdown of the line. Riyadh has held off on military retaliation at Baghdad's request, while Iraq condemned the attack, dismissed a Maysan operations commander and opened an investigation.
Why It Matters
The East-West pipeline is a key route Saudi Arabia uses to move oil to the Red Sea and avoid the Strait of Hormuz; an attack on it raises risks to energy infrastructure and regional stability. The incident has drawn calls from the GCC for Iraq to prevent its territory from being used for cross-border strikes, underscoring wider tensions involving Yemen's Houthi forces and control of Red Sea access.
Key Facts
- Incident: East-West pipeline in Saudi Arabia struck by several drones originating from Iraq
- Location affected: Riyadh and Medina areas along the pipeline route
- Casualties/damage: The attacks caused injuries and material damage; the pipeline was temporarily shut as a precaution
- Saudi response: Riyadh said it would not retaliate immediately at the request of the Iraqi government but reserved the right to act
- Iraq response: Baghdad condemned the attack, dismissed a military commander who led operations in Maysan province, and formed an investigative council
Saudi Arabia said its East-West oil pipeline was struck by multiple drones launched from Iraqi territory, causing injuries and physical damage along sections near Riyadh and Medina. A ministry statement described the origin of the drones as Iraq and reported the pipeline was stopped temporarily as a precaution, with Saudi authorities reserving the right to take future measures to protect sovereignty and critical facilities.
Riyadh chose not to launch an immediate military response after Baghdad requested time to address the situation; Saudi officials said the kingdom would support Iraqi efforts to prevent further attacks. Iraq welcomed Saudi restraint, formally condemned the strikes and said it rejected any aggression threatening the bilateral relationship.
Iraqi authorities took concrete steps after investigations indicated the drones had been launched from within Maysan province. The Iraqi Prime Minister's Office announced the dismissal of a commander who had overseen operations in that province and ordered formation of an investigative council to probe the Maysan Operations Command.
Regional bodies and imagery reinforced the seriousness of the incident. The Gulf Cooperation Council's secretary-general called the attack a dangerous escalation and urged Iraq to act decisively to stop its territory being used as a launchpad for cross-border strikes. Satellite images from Copernicus Sentinel data seen by AFP showed black smoke near Medina along the pipeline route. The pipeline is a major corridor Saudi Arabia has used to move oil to the Red Sea, a route of growing strategic importance amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and concurrent Houthi advances along Yemen's Red Sea coast.
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Original source: Al Jazeera