Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline caught fire on Monday after an attack in the Madinah region, the kingdom confirmed. Emergency teams extinguished the blaze, and no injuries or operational disruptions were reported. The pipeline, a critical export route following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, was previously targeted in September by pro-Iranian Iraqi militias.
No group has claimed responsibility for the latest strike, though the Houthis have repeatedly attacked Saudi infrastructure since their war reignited in July. The rebels previously hit a pumping station on the same pipeline. The attack came a day after Houthis claimed to have struck Saudi Aramco’s administrative offices in Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District, causing minor damage.
Employees have been working remotely amid ongoing assaults. The Houthis also launched 20 attacks on King Khalid International Airport in early October, killing 17 and injuring over 300, forcing the cancellation of major events like the Future Investment Initiative. The conflict, originally starting a decade ago, escalated after a 2022 truce collapsed, destabilizing global energy markets.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing