Fire Erupts After Strike on Saudi Oil Pipeline Near Medina

By Staff, Agencies

Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline was reportedly targeted near Medina on Monday, triggering a minor fire that emergency crews quickly extinguished without casualties or disruption to oil supplies, according to the Saudi Press Agency [SPA].

A source at the Saudi Energy Ministry said firefighting teams brought the blaze under control shortly after the incident, confirming that oil continued flowing through the pipeline uninterrupted.

The reported incident came amid longstanding disputes over Saudi allegations concerning Yemeni attacks near Mecca and Medina. 

Saudi officials have repeatedly linked alleged attacks to the vicinity of the Islamic holy cities, while critics argue that such claims serve political and propaganda purposes by portraying Yemeni military operations as threats to religious landmarks.

The Yemeni Armed Forces [YAF] affiliated with the Sanaa government have consistently denied targeting Islamic holy sites, maintaining that their operations are directed at military, economic, and strategic infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is currently rerouting approximately 4 million barrels of crude oil daily through its 1,200-kilometer East-West Pipeline to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, accounting for roughly 4% of global consumption. 

The pipeline, which crosses the Arabian Peninsula, has become a critical export route amid the disruption of Gulf oil traffic and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The disruption followed US aggression against Iran, which plunged the strategic waterway into turmoil. 

Drone strikes had also knocked the East-West Pipeline offline for several days in September. 

The alternative route has helped Riyadh maintain oil exports, while neighboring Gulf producers have faced severe losses in export revenues.