Saudi Arabia shuts major oil pipeline after drone attacks from Iraq

The oil pipeline stretches from Saudi Arabia's east coast on the Persian Gulf to the west coast on the Red Sea.

On Friday evening, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry said the oil pipeline had been attacked by drones targeting the Riyadh and Medina regions.

According to the AFP news agency, columns of black smoke are visible near Medina in satellite images. Saudi authorities say flow in the pipeline has been halted for an unclear period of time.

"The pipeline was shut down as a precautionary measure and the attacks resulted in some injuries," the country's energy ministry said on X.

The Iraqi government has confirmed that the drones came from Iraqi territory and condemned the attacks on “brothers in Saudi Arabia.”