Drones launched from Iraq strike Saudi East-West oil pipeline, CNN reports

RIYADH, Sept 11: Drones launched from Iraq struck Saudi Arabia’s critical East-West oil pipeline system on Thursday, hitting pumping stations and triggering fires, CNN reported Friday, citing US officials familiar with the matter.

Two US officials said projectiles struck pumping stations along the pipeline on Thursday. Satellite imagery reviewed after the attacks showed extensive fire damage at one station and a smaller fire at another.

One of the US officials said the drones originated from Iraq. It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attacks or whether the pipeline itself sustained direct damage.

The reported Iraqi origin of the drones adds a significant new dimension to the attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure. Saudi Arabia has also been targeted by Iran-backed Houthi forces operating from Yemen, while Riyadh has previously accused Iran-backed militias in Iraq of launching drone attacks against Saudi energy facilities.

The developments came as Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Energy confirmed that the East-West Pipeline in the Riyadh and Madinah regions had been shut down as a precaution following multiple attacks. The ministry said the attacks caused a number of injuries and that medical care was provided to those affected.

Emergency and specialised technical teams were deployed to secure the pipeline and assess its safety in coordination with the relevant authorities, according to the ministry.

The East-West Pipeline, which runs across Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, is a strategically important alternative route for transporting crude oil without relying on the Strait of Hormuz. Its shutdown has added to concerns over global oil supplies and energy security.