Iraqi Drones Strike Saudi Energy Infrastructure on 9/11 Anniversary
Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline was struck by drones originating from Iraq on September 11, according to CNN. The attack is a significant blow to Saudi energy infrastructure and has implications for global energy markets.
The East-West pipeline is one of the world's largest oil pipelines, stretching approximately 1,200 kilometers across the Arabian Peninsula. It connects Saudi Arabia's eastern Gulf oil fields to Red Sea export terminals and has a capacity of around 5 million barrels of oil per day.
The attack comes as a threat to global energy markets, particularly with the ongoing disruption at the Strait of Hormuz. The East-West pipeline serves as a critical alternative route for Saudi Aramco to maintain oil exports. A successful strike on this route could severely impact Saudi Arabia's oil export capacity and has significant implications for the world's energy supply.
The source of the drones is directly linked to Iraq, implicating Iran-aligned militia factions operating in Iraqi territory as probable perpetrators. The attack follows a declaration by Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf that either all Gulf states export oil freely or none will. This statement explicitly threatened to target Gulf energy infrastructure if Iran's own oil exports remained blocked.