Rocket strike hits key oil pipeline system in Saudi Arabia
Pump stations were damaged, multiple fires started and the pipeline was closed; U.S. officials say UAVs came from the direction of Iraq.
A rocket strike hit a central oil pipeline system inside Saudi Arabia, igniting several fires and forcing authorities to shut the line as a precaution, officials said.
Initial analysis of satellite imagery indicates that pump stations located alongside the pipeline were struck. One pump station shows extensive fire damage while a second displays a smaller blaze with thick black smoke rising from the site.
Responsibility for the attack remains unknown. U.S. officials said the pipeline was struck by unmanned aerial vehicles that came from the direction of Iraq.
Regional context and risks
The strikes come days after Houthi forces seized a strategically important Red Sea port in Yemen, an escalation that could further endanger energy transit routes through the region.
The affected pipeline has been a linchpin for Saudi Arabia since the start of the war between the United States and Iran, carrying about five million barrels of oil per day that previously moved by tanker through the Persian Gulf.
Repairing damaged pump stations may be relatively straightforward compared with mending any serious breaches to the pipeline itself, but the scope of the damage will determine how long flows remain interrupted.
The incident also follows Saudi reports to OPEC that the kingdom's crude output fell sharply last month, reaching its lowest level since 1990.
Photo: Принтскрин
