Trump says Iran probably responsible for attack on Saudi pipeline

US President Donald Trump said that Iran was probably responsible for an aerial attack on Saudi Arabia that shut down its East-West pipeline. The pipeline, one of the kingdom's main routes for exporting crude while bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, was closed as a precaution after the attack. Trump told reporters in Dublin that he had spoken with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom he described as a "good friend".

According to Trump, Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis had called his administration and indicated they did not want the United States to become directly involved in the conflict. The Houthis would prefer not to have US involvement, and are letting most ships go through, Trump said. There is one country that the Houthis are not too happy with, but Trump did not specify which one.

The attack on the pipeline caused some injuries and damage, which was still being assessed. Iraq confirmed that the drones were launched from its territory, specifically from Maysan governorate, a province bordering Iran. The Iraqi Prime Minister's Office said the operations commander in Maysan had been removed following confirmation that the drone attack on Saudi Arabia originated from the region.

Brief written by urgent.news from Al-Monitor, Jerusalem Post, Punch Nigeria, Ajel English, Live Mint — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.