Saudi Oil Pipeline Attacked, Red Sea Shipping Routes Disrupted
A crucial Saudi oil pipeline that was attacked last week will mostly be out of service for several weeks as the damage is repaired, two regional officials told The Associated Press on Monday.
The East-West Pipeline, which runs the breadth of the country, carries up to 7 million barrels of oil a day and was forced to shut down due to an attack blamed by Saudi Arabia on drones from Iranian-backed militias in Iraq.
According to the officials, repairing the damage could take three to five weeks, including at a major pumping facility. The pipeline may work partially while teams carry out the repairs.
The disruption comes as Yemen's Houthi rebels seized more islands dominating key Red Sea shipping routes, further straining Saudi Arabia's effort to get its oil to market while avoiding the Strait of Hormuz.