Saudi East-West oil pipeline to stay shut for weeks after drone strike

Saudi Arabia has suspended flows through its East-West crude pipeline after a drone attack damaged infrastructure near Riyadh and Medina, with repairs expected to take weeks.

• Drones struck Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline last Thursday, prompting the kingdom to suspend oil shipments through the 1,200-km line to the Red Sea port of Yanbu.
• Saudi Arabia's energy ministry said the shutdown was a precautionary measure after the attack damaged infrastructure, including a main pumping station, and injured people in the Riyadh and Medina regions.
• Saudi authorities said the drones were launched from Maysan province in southeastern Iraq, near the Iranian border.
• Regional officials estimated repairs would take three to five weeks, adding that the pipeline might resume partial operations during that period.