Saudi Arabia’s Key East-West Oil Pipeline Attacked Again

Saudi Arabia’s strategic East-West oil pipeline has come under attack again, with the latest incident reported in the Medina region. The attack triggered a limited fire, which was quickly brought under control.

The incident took place on Monday (November 9) in the western region of Medina, according to reports.

Saudi Arabia’s state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported the incident, citing an official from the country’s Energy Ministry.

The official said no one was injured or killed in the attack and that the pipeline remained operational. The report did not identify those responsible.

The latest attack comes as the conflict involving Saudi Arabia, forces backed by the country in Yemen, and Iran-supported Houthi rebels continues to intensify.

The East-West pipeline is strategically important to Saudi Arabia because it provides an alternative route for transporting oil while avoiding the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping through the strait remains severely restricted amid the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran, deepening concerns over global energy supplies.

The pipeline has been targeted several times since the war began.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have also previously carried out repeated attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure, using drones and missiles. Their targets have included oil refineries and storage facilities.

Stretching approximately 1,200 kilometres (745 miles) across the Arabian Peninsula’s desert, the East-West pipeline was temporarily shut down for several days following a drone attack in September. Saudi Arabia claimed that the drones had been launched from Iraq.

With oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz disrupted, Saudi Arabia has increased the volume of crude transported through the pipeline.

Riyadh is currently sending around four million barrels of crude oil per day through the pipeline to the Red Sea port of Yanbu. That volume represents approximately 4 per cent of global oil supply.