Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Energy on Friday announced that the vital East-West oil pipeline has been shut down as a precautionary measure after "multiple" attacks.
The attacks on the pipeline in the Riyadh and Madinah regions came on Thursday and resulted in a number of injuries, the ministry said in a statement on X.
Officials later said the pipeline was attacked by drones launched from Iraq, but added it would not retaliate for now, following a request from Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi.
The kingdom reserves the right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty, security and critical facilities, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The full pumping capacity through the East–West pipeline amounts to about seven million barrels per day. It is critical in linking oil production sites in the Eastern Province with Yanbu on the west coast, and provided flexibility to export from Saudi Arabia's east and west coasts.
Following Riyadh's accusation that the strikes came from Iraq, Mr Al Zaidi ordered an investigation and dismissed a military commander over the incident. He issued a statement declaring Baghdad's "rejection of any aggression that threatens the kingdom's security and stability".
The extent of the damage to the pipeline is unclear. Saudi Arabia said specialised technical teams were working to "secure the pipeline and assess its safety".
The decision comes after the kingdom traded a series of strikes with Yemen's Houthi rebels, who have been on an expansion campaign amid the US-Iran war, though Tehran and its proxies have also previously carried out attacks on regional energy infrastructure.
The Houthis have taken over Yemen's entire western coast along with several strategic islands, establishing a chokehold over the vital Bab Al Mandeb strait.
The Saudi confirmation comes after satellite data on Thursday showed unusual activity along the pipeline. Nasa's Firms satellite system detected several large fires near the pipeline, while other images showed a plume of black smoke rising from one site to the south of Madinah.
The attacks on the pipeline signal that Saudi Arabia's oil resources and exports are under increasing threat amid the spiralling regional conflict.
Shipments of energy supplies and other necessities have been severely curtailed by Iran's effective closing of the Strait of Hormuz at the beginning of the war with the US. Iran has threatened to continue strikes on regional energy infrastructure should the US continue attacking Iranian targets.
Saudi Aramco shut down its Ras Tanura site for several months after an Iranian drone strike caused a fire in March. The Houthis have carried out other strikes on Saudi energy infrastructure in the south of the country, causing fires and injuries.
The decision to close the pipeline, coupled with ongoing Houthi activity, could have a strong effect on oil prices. Global benchmark Brent crude was climbing back towards $105 per barrel on Friday afternoon after reaching that point the day before.
