Saudi Arabia has condemned a drone attack on its East-West oil pipeline, saying the assault was launched from Iraqi territory and caused injuries and damage.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry, in a statement on Friday, said the kingdom had refrained from retaliating at the request of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to give Baghdad an opportunity to take measures to prevent further attacks against Saudi Arabia from its territory.
Saudi Arabia urged Iraq to take necessary steps to ensure that its territory would not be used to launch attacks against the kingdom.
The Iraqi government welcomed Riyadh’s decision to hold off on retaliation and condemned any action threatening Saudi Arabia’s security and stability.
Iraqi military spokesperson Sabah al-Numan said al-Zaidi had ordered an urgent investigation into the attack and directed that those responsible be identified and held accountable under the law.
The Iraqi government also stressed that Iraqi territory and airspace would not be allowed to serve as a launchpad for attacks against other countries.
Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy said the East-West Pipeline had been shut down as a precaution after it came under multiple attacks a day earlier.
The ministry said the attacks, which occurred in the central Riyadh region and western Medina region, resulted in several injuries.
Emergency and technical teams were immediately deployed to secure the pipeline and assess its condition in coordination with relevant authorities, the ministry said.
The East-West Pipeline is a key component of Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure, transporting crude from oil fields in the kingdom’s east to the Red Sea port of Yanbu and providing an alternative route that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz.
In a subsequent statement, al-Numan said investigations had confirmed that the attack originated from a location in Maysan province in southern Iraq.
He said the Iraqi prime minister had consequently ordered the formation of an investigation committee under the Maysan Operations Command and directed the removal of the province’s military commander.
The latest development has heightened concerns over the use of Iraqi territory for attacks against neighbouring countries and could put further pressure on Baghdad to tighten security along its borders and prevent cross-border militant operations.
