Drones launched from Iraq set Saudi oil pipeline ablaze
A key Saudi oil pipeline has been shut down after a drone attack launched from Iraq sparked a fire, injuring people; Iraq has dismissed a provincial commander in response.
Saudi Arabia has shut down its East-West oil pipeline after a fire broke out following a drone attack that authorities say was launched from Iraqi territory. The pipeline links Abqaiq near the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea port of Yanbu and serves as a key alternative route for Saudi oil that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz.
The Saudi foreign ministry confirmed a fire near Medina that caused human and material damage. A government official in Riyadh had earlier told media that people were injured in the drone strike and the resulting blaze, and that the pipeline was shut down as a precaution.
Iraq's government acknowledged the attack originated from its soil and announced it had dismissed the commander overseeing Maysan province in the country's south as a result. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly accused Iran-linked armed factions operating out of Iraq of targeting its energy infrastructure with drones.
The Gulf Cooperation Council, representing six regional states, issued a statement voicing concern and calling the incident a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable threat to Saudi Arabia's security. Riyadh said it does not intend to retaliate for now, instead backing Iraqi government efforts to stop future attacks against Saudi Arabia and neighbouring states launched from Iraqi territory.
Wider context
The attack came just a day after Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen seized control of a strategically important island in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a chokepoint critical to global oil shipping. The Houthis claimed navigation through the strait remained safe for everyone except Saudi vessels, marking a further escalation of their campaign against Saudi trade, given Riyadh's support for Yemen's government.
Both incidents add to a chain of events tied to the war the United States and Israel launched against Iran in February, which has already driven oil and fuel prices to record levels. Oil prices topped 100 dollars a barrel on Friday, with fuel prices also hitting new highs.
