Saudi Arabia Shuts Down Critical Oil Pipeline, Red Sea Shipping Threatened

Saudi Arabia officially shut down its 1,200-kilometer East-West oil pipeline on Friday following a drone attack that both Riyadh and Baghdad traced back to Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. The conduit, which moves up to 5 million barrels per day, served as a crucial bypass for tanker traffic trapped by ongoing Gulf conflicts.

The Saudi Energy Ministry confirmed the precautionary closure as authorities assess structural damage and injuries at the targeted facility south of Medina. Satellite imagery revealed plumes of black smoke rising from the pipeline corridor during the height of the disruption.

"The kingdom reserves the right to take all measures necessary to protect its vital national interests," stated the Saudi Foreign Ministry following emergency security consultations.

The disruption compounds severe international supply constraints as Houthi forces seize Perim Island at the mouth of the Red Sea. International energy agencies report that Saudi crude supply has plummeted to its lowest levels in over thirty years amid widening regional hostilities.

Iraqi security forces have initiated wide-scale operations to apprehend those responsible for the drone strike and ordered the closure of the Shalamcheh border crossing with Iran. Meanwhile, coalition forces are monitoring maritime corridors to prevent further blockades on global shipping routes.