Saudi Arabia shut down East-West crude oil pipeline after multiple attacks

Saudi Arabia shut down its crucial East-West crude oil pipeline as a precautionary measure after multiple attacks, the kingdom’s Energy Ministry said Friday in a statement.

The pipeline was targeted in the Riyadh and Madinah regions on Thursday morning, the ministry said. Multiple people were injured in the attacks, it said.

The Saudis have relied on the East-West pipeline to shift crude oil exports away from Persian Gulf as the U.S. and Iran battle for control over the Strait of Hormuz. The pipeline, which has a capacity of 7 million barrels per day, runs across the kingdom to export terminals on the Red Sea.

Emergency teams were deployed to secure the pipeline and assess its safety, the Saudi Energy Ministry said. “Any further developments will be announced in due course,” it said.

The Saudis did not say who was behind the attacks or whether the pipeline suffered significant damage. However, Iran-allied Houthi militants in Yemen have escalated strikes on Saudi Arabia this week.

The Houthis declared a maritime embargo against the Saudis in July and have sought to disrupt the kingdom’s oil exports through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the southern Red Sea to global markets.

Oil prices fell Friday after rallying more than 6% in the previous session. Brent and West Texas Intermediate broke $100 per barrel this week for the first time in months. The contracts closed out the week more than 8% higher on escalating fighting in the Middle East.