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Gulf Bloc Slams Drone Attack on Saudi Pipeline
(MENAFN) The Gulf Cooperation Council's secretary-general, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, condemned "in the strongest terms" a drone attack Thursday on Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline in the Riyadh and Madinah regions, calling it a serious escalation that violated the kingdom's sovereignty and international law. He urged Iraq to take firmer action to stop its territory from being used to launch such strikes, and reaffirmed the bloc's full backing for any Saudi response.
Saudi Arabia shut down the pipeline as a precaution after the strikes, which injured several people and damaged the pipeline, according to the Saudi Energy Ministry; emergency crews were sent to secure and assess the site. Riyadh's Foreign Ministry traced the drones to Iraq but said it would not retaliate "at this stage," after Iraq's prime minister requested time to prevent further attacks from Iraqi soil. Saudi Arabia said it backs Baghdad's efforts but reserves the right to defend its territory and infrastructure.
Iraq condemned the strikes and vowed its territory "will not be a launching point for attacks against any country." Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who also commands Iraq's armed forces, ordered an investigation and directed legal action against anyone implicated.
The episode deepens a rift that began in July, when Saudi Arabia said it intercepted drones fired from Iraq at oil facilities in the Eastern Province and Riyadh, blaming Iranian-backed militias. Iraq later formed a joint security committee to prevent cross-border attacks, but tensions boiled over July 29 when US and Saudi forces struck sites tied to Iran-aligned Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq, which the group said killed 20 of its members and wounded 32.
Saudi Arabia called the strike self-defense. The pipeline is a key alternative export route through the Red Sea as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains crippled by the US-Iran conflict.
Saudi Arabia shut down the pipeline as a precaution after the strikes, which injured several people and damaged the pipeline, according to the Saudi Energy Ministry; emergency crews were sent to secure and assess the site. Riyadh's Foreign Ministry traced the drones to Iraq but said it would not retaliate "at this stage," after Iraq's prime minister requested time to prevent further attacks from Iraqi soil. Saudi Arabia said it backs Baghdad's efforts but reserves the right to defend its territory and infrastructure.
Iraq condemned the strikes and vowed its territory "will not be a launching point for attacks against any country." Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who also commands Iraq's armed forces, ordered an investigation and directed legal action against anyone implicated.
The episode deepens a rift that began in July, when Saudi Arabia said it intercepted drones fired from Iraq at oil facilities in the Eastern Province and Riyadh, blaming Iranian-backed militias. Iraq later formed a joint security committee to prevent cross-border attacks, but tensions boiled over July 29 when US and Saudi forces struck sites tied to Iran-aligned Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq, which the group said killed 20 of its members and wounded 32.
Saudi Arabia called the strike self-defense. The pipeline is a key alternative export route through the Red Sea as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains crippled by the US-Iran conflict.
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