Saudi Arabia shuts East-West oil pipeline after drone attacks

Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut its East-West oil pipeline after several drones struck it in the Riyadh and Madinah regions, causing injuries and damage. Saudi officials said the drones came from Iraq, and halted operations as a precaution while emergency teams assess the line’s safety. The pipeline moves crude from the kingdom’s eastern fields to export terminals on the Red Sea, giving Saudi Arabia a land-based alternative when tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is constrained. The closure does not by itself mean exports have stopped, but it removes an important safety valve while regional energy shipments are already under pressure. If the disruption lasts, concern could spread beyond crude to diesel and other fuel supplies.