Saudis shut key oil pipeline as Houthis tighten grip on Red Sea shipping

Saudi Arabia has shut down its East-West pipeline after a drone attack. The 1,200-km pipeline, which has been the main route for global supplies of Middle East oil for the past six months, was temporarily closed as a precaution.

The drone attack, which originated from Iraq, resulted in some injuries and damage, according to the Saudi Foreign Ministry. The pipeline has been moving 4 million to 5 million barrels per day, amounting to 4% to 5% of global supply.

The Strait of Hormuz has been largely shut due to war, and the pipeline's closure threatens to send energy prices soaring. US President Donald Trump said Iran was probably to blame for the attack. Iraq dismissed a military commander in response to the attack.

Brief written by urgent.news from Haaretz, France 24, Hindustan Times - World News, Channel News Asia — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.