Houthis Target Key Saudi Oil Pipeline Amid Strait of Hormuz Crisis
The East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia may have been targeted by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, according to satellite data. The pipeline, which runs from Abqaiq in the kingdom's Eastern Province to Yanbu on the Red Sea, has a capacity of 7 million barrels per day.
NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) detected eight thermal anomalies in the area, but did not confirm whether the pipeline was hit. Unverified satellite imagery and ground images shared on X social media platform show fire incidents in the region.
The East-West pipeline was built as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz after tensions between Iran and Iraq threatened oil movement through the waterway. The Houthis' alleged attack comes amid escalating tensions between the US and Iran, with President Donald Trump saying he intends to rename the Strait of Hormuz the 'Trump Strait.'