Saudi Arabia reports new attack on key East-West pipeline

Saudi Arabia says its East-West oil pipeline was attacked in the western Medina region on Monday, causing a small fire that was quickly extinguished. The incident matters because the pipeline provides a route for oil exports that avoids the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping remains severely restricted amid the US-Israel war on Iran.

No injuries or deaths were reported, and operations continued; Saudi authorities have not identified who was responsible. The 1,200km pipeline carries about 4 million barrels of crude per day to Yanbu, around 4 per cent of global supply, and was shut for several days in September after drone attacks that Riyadh blamed on launches from Iraq.