Saudi Arabia says a vital pipeline carrying oil from its eastern fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu has been temporarily shut down after being struck by several drones launched from Iraq, causing injuries and damage.
Abdulaziz Alghashian of the Gulf International Forum says Saudi Arabia is likely to pursue a multilateral response, potentially involving partners such as Turkiye and Pakistan, as it weighs how far regional and international allies are willing to go.
Ben Cahill of the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Centre says losing the pipeline is a serious blow to Saudi Arabia’s ability to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, warning that oil prices are likely to rise further if Red Sea access remains under threat.
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The Iraqi prime minister and armed forces commander-in-chief has dismissed the commander of the Maysan Operations Command, according to a statement on Friday.
ReplyDeleteAli Al-Zaidi also ordered an investigation into the command, which oversees security in the southeastern Maysan province, after it was confirmed that attacks on "the brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia" were launched Friday from a site in the province, it said.
The announcement was made by Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, in a post on US social media platform X, on the account of the Iraqi Prime Minister's Media Office.
Additional details on the nature of the attacks or the identity of the dismissed commander were not immediately available.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) secretary-general on Friday condemned "in the strongest terms" a drone attack targeting Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline in the capital Riyadh and Madinah regions, which Riyadh said originated from Iraq and caused injuries and property damage.
ReplyDeleteJasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said the attack represents "a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable threat to the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its territorial integrity, and its vital installations," describing it as "a flagrant violation of the principles of international law."
He urged Iraq to intensify efforts and take "necessary, decisive measures" to prevent its territory from being used as a launchpad for such attacks.
Damage to the East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia threatens a loss of 4% of global oil supplies, Reuters reports, citing sources.
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