Web Desk(National Times)- Saudi authorities said on Friday drones launched from Iraq led to the temporary closure of a crucial oil export route used to bypass the lockdown of the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Riyadh has increased its use of the East-West pipeline, which links Abqaiq, near the Gulf, to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, since the start of the Middle East war to bypass the closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Saudi foreign ministry condemned \u201cthe targeting of the East\u2013West pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions by several drones coming from Iraq, which caused human injuries and damage\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe pipeline was stopped as a precaution, and the attacks resulted in some injuries,\u201d an energy ministry official told the SPA news agency earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Satellite images from Copernicus Sentinel Data taken on Thursday showed black smoke billowing near Madina, along the general route of the East-West pipeline that carries Saudi oil to its Red Sea coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The office of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi confirmed the attack originated from Iraqi territory and said on X that the commander in charge of the southern province of Maysan had been dismissed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Iraqi government said it condemned \u201cthe attacks targeting our brethren in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia originated from a location within the governorate\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Dangerous escalation\u2019
Riyadh said that, at the Iraqi prime minister\u2019s request, it had chosen \u201cnot to respond at this stage and to support the efforts of the Iraqi government \u2026 to prevent attacks launched from Iraq against the Kingdom and neighbouring countries\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Riyadh previously accused Iraqi militias of targeting its oil infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it stressed that the kingdom \u201creserves the right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty, its security, its facilities,\u201d and its people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bahrain, Jordan and Qatar also condemned the attack on the Saudi pipeline, while the Gulf Cooperation Council denounced \u201ca dangerous escalation and an unacceptable threat to the security of the Kingdom\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oil prices have climbed past $100 a barrel this week, while average US diesel prices topped $6 for the first time on Friday \u2014 a potential headache for President Donald Trump ahead of midterm elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Houthi rebels announced a maritime blockade in July against Saudi Arabia \u2014 which supports the Yemeni government \u2014 attacking its oil tankers in the Red Sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By taking control of the Yemeni Red Sea coast and the islands in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Friday, the Houthis consolidated their grip on the strategic passage linking Europe and Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Navigation through the Bab el-Mandab Strait was \u201csafe\u201d for all but Saudi Arabia following the latest advances, the Houthis said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Web Desk(National Times)- Saudi authorities said on Friday drones launched from Iraq led to the temporary closure of a crucial oil export route used to bypass the lockdown of the Strait of Hormuz. Riyadh has increased its use of the East-West pipeline, which links Abqaiq, near the Gulf, to the port of Yanbu on the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":132931,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-132930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n