Saudi Arabia issues security alerts in Mecca and Jeddah as Middle East attacks escalate

Saudi Arabia has issued security alerts in Mecca and Jeddah as regional attacks escalate. The country's East-West pipeline was temporarily closed following attacks by Houthis, but US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said crude oil should be flowing through it within days.

The pipeline, which runs across the Arabian Peninsula, had been moving 4 million to 5 million barrels per day, amounting to 4% to 5% of global supply. According to Business Recorder, Saudi Arabia is taking steps to move more oil out of the Strait of Hormuz with assistance from the US military.

Saudi Arabia is facing increased military pressure on both its northern and southern borders. Iran-backed Iraqi militias recently forced the closure of the East-West pipeline, while Houthi rebels in Yemen, also supported by Tehran, have increased their attacks on southern targets, including seizing strategic islands in the Bab el-Mandeb waterway, as reported by Semafor.

Brief written by urgent.news from Arabian Business, Gulf News, Business Recorder, Saudi Gazette, Semafor — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.