Saudi Arabia announced on Saturday that drones launched from Iraqi territory struck multiple points along the kingdom's east-west oil pipeline, which bypasses the Strait of Hormuz. The pipeline was temporarily shut down; the extent of damage is still being assessed, and several casualties were reported, according to the Saudi statement as reported by N12 journalist Asaf Rozentzweig.
Saudi Arabia officially confirmed on Saturday morning that drones launched from Iraq struck multiple points along the kingdom's east-west oil pipeline, causing several casualties and a temporary shutdown. The announcement, reported by N12's Asaf Rozentzweig, provides the first official confirmation of an attack that satellite imagery had indicated earlier at 00:31 Jerusalem time, when The Zioneer reported black smoke rising from the pipeline area following an initial report of a shutdown and fire.
The east-west pipeline is a strategic asset that allows Saudi Arabia to export crude oil via the Red Sea, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint that has been under increasing Iranian pressure amid the broader regional conflict. The pipeline was previously hit in September 2026, when a drone attack destroyed a pumping station, according to satellite analysis confirmed by The Zioneer. That attack was attributed by U.S. officials to Iranian-backed militias operating from Iraq, a pattern consistent with today's strike as well.
The Saudi statement did not specify the number of casualties or the full extent of damage to the pipeline infrastructure. The timeline for repair and the impact on Saudi oil exports remain unconfirmed. Responsibility for the attack remains a point of contention: while the Saudi statement attributes the launch to Iraq, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed on July 27 that his group's drones struck Saudi oil facilities from east to Yanbu, rejecting Saudi assertions of an Iraqi origin.
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