East-West Pipeline Halts After Latest Attack on Saudi Oil Infrastructure

Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline has been halted once again following a fresh attack on its infrastructure. According to a source in the kingdom's energy sector, a pumping station in Khurais, east of Riyadh, was damaged on 4 October, causing the pipeline to stop operations. This marks the latest in a series of attacks on the critical oil transport route, which has been targeted multiple times since the escalation of the Middle East war.

The incident comes a day after Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for missile and drone strikes on facilities belonging to Saudi state oil giant Aramco, including sites in the Khurais area. The Houthis asserted that their operations successfully achieved their objectives, causing significant fires at the targeted locations. Saudi authorities and Aramco have not yet commented on these claims.

The East-West pipeline, stretching about 1,200 kilometers between Saudi Arabia's main oil fields and the Yanbu terminal on the Red Sea, has become vital for the country's oil exports following Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Flows through the pipeline were previously halted from 11 September to 22 September due to earlier attacks. The Houthis have threatened further attacks on Saudi sites unless the kingdom stops its airstrikes on Yemen and lifts what they describe as a blockade.

Yemen's government, meanwhile, has intensified military operations against the Houthis following the collapse of a 2022 truce. The conflict has seen a sharp escalation in fighting, with the Houthis increasing attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure and key shipping routes. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has accused the Houthis of a recent drone attack on an electricity distribution station in Medina, though the group denied involvement.