Saudi Arabia's Strategic Oil Pipeline Under Attack

A potentially critical oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia may have been attacked, causing significant disruptions to global energy supplies.

Satellite images captured a massive smoke plume stretching over 100 km and prolonged thermal anomalies along the East-West Pipeline southeast of Medina in Saudi Arabia, according to NASA fire data.

The pipeline's capacity is approximately 7 million barrels of oil per day, with about 5 million barrels sent daily to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea coast. This route bypasses the Strait of Hormuz and serves as a vital export route for Saudi Arabia.

Analysts suggest that between six and eight sections of the pipeline may have been hit, with some speculating about depressurization or rupture. However, there has been no official confirmation from Saudi Aramco or international news agencies so far.