Saudi Arabia’s East-West Crude Oil Pipeline faced a fresh strike on Sunday, with conflicting reports over whether petroleum was still moving through the infrastructure. An energy sector source told AFP that a pumping station in Khurais, east of Riyadh, suffered heavy damage, halting operations. However, Reuters and Bloomberg cited unnamed sources reporting that oil continued to flow. The incident followed claims by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels that they targeted Aramco sites, including the Khurais infrastructure. The East-West pipeline has encountered repeated attacks since the Middle East conflict erupted following joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February. Last month, Saudi Arabia temporarily shut the 700-mile pipeline, which connects eastern oil fields to the Yanbu terminal on the Red Sea. Meanwhile, Yemen’s military launched a broad offensive against Houthi positions, claiming control of the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, though Houthi-aligned media denied the advance. Heavy fighting continued around Taiz province, resulting in dozens of casualties. Iran’s foreign minister insisted there is no military solution to the ongoing conflict as diplomatic efforts remain deadlocked over the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Despite ongoing tanker attacks in the vital waterway, Kpler data revealed that Middle East oil exports excluding Iran surpassed pre-war levels last week, with alternative pipeline routes and Red Sea transits operating at full capacity to bypass the blockade.
Source: cbsnews.com
