Saudi Arabia shuts East-West oil pipeline after drone attack

Saudi Arabia announced the immediate shutdown of its East‑West crude oil pipeline after a drone strike damaged the facility on Tuesday. The 878‑kilometre conduit, which transports up to 5 million barrels of oil per day from the Gulf coast to the interior, was temporarily taken offline as a precautionary measure following the reported impact.

The Saudi Ministry of Energy said the unmanned aerial vehicle originated from Iraqi airspace, attributing the attack to hostile elements operating within the neighboring country. Officials emphasized that the pipeline’s integrity was not compromised beyond the initial strike and that repair crews were dispatched to assess and restore operations. The closure comes amid heightened regional tensions and follows a series of similar incidents targeting energy infrastructure in the Middle East.

Riyadh indicated that the pipeline would resume normal flow once safety inspections are completed and any necessary repairs are made. The ministry urged the international community to condemn attacks on critical energy assets and called for cooperation to prevent further disruptions to global oil supplies.