Saudi East-West oil pipeline hit in Medina region, state media reports

Saudi Arabia's extensive East-West oil pipeline was targeted in the Medina region on Monday, according to state media citing an energy ministry source. The attack resulted in a small fire that was promptly put out. No casualties or injuries were reported, and the pipeline's operations remained unaffected. The 1,200 km pipeline traverses the desert across the Arabian Peninsula.

In September, the pipeline was shut down for several days following drone attacks, which Saudi Arabia attributed to Iraqi militias. Recently, Saudi Arabia has been restarting the East-West pipeline, with sources confirming the resumption. Due to conflicts in the Middle East disrupting oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, Riyadh has rerouted approximately 4 million barrels of crude daily via the East-West Pipeline to Yanbu, constituting around 4% of global supply.

This rerouted oil has shielded Saudi Arabia, the world's largest exporter, from the brunt of the impact caused by the wartime shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, which has severely hampered exports from its neighboring countries.