Saudi Pipeline Outage Threatens Global Oil Supplies

The East-West pipeline in Saudi Arabia, damaged last week by a drone strike, will remain out of service for several weeks, according to two unnamed officials cited by the Associated Press. The exact deadline for reopening is unknown.

The pipeline is one of the most important in the oil-rich nation and its closure has significant implications for bypassing Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. However, the Yemeni Houthis have gained control of the Bab el-Mandeb strait, threatening Saudi oil exports through another route.

Riyadh confirmed that a satellite image showed damage to the pipeline, with the attack coming from neighboring Iraq.