Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline Bypassing Hormuz Strait Damaged In Iranian Attack: Report

Last Updated:April 08, 2026, 19:39 IST

The crucial oil pipeline is specifically designed to safeguard global energy supplies from maritime blockades, such as the one in the Strait of Hormuz amid the West Asia conflict

Saudi Arabia’s critical East-West oil pipeline, which bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, has reportedly been damaged in an Iranian attack.

According to Reuters, the oil pipeline is specifically designed to safeguard global energy supplies from maritime blockades, such as the one in the Hormuz strait amid the West Asia conflict.

The report said this has sparked fears that the global energy crisis may worsen as millions of barrels of crude are potentially removed from the market. An industry source told Reuters that the pipeline was hit alongside several other facilities within Saudi Arabia.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement on Wednesday claiming responsibility for the attack. It used a combination of missiles and drones to strike various targets across the Persian Gulf. Oil facilities belonging to American companies in Yanbu were also targeted, it added.

This infrastructure serves as Saudi’s only remaining outlet for crude exports following the closure of Hormuz by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. The East-West pipeline was engineered to divert roughly 7 million barrels per day (bpd) from the kingdom’s eastern oil heartlands to the Red Sea port of Yanbu.

Reuters reported that this strategic bypass was intended to ensure that exports could continue even if the Arabian Gulf were blockaded. But damage to the Yanbu export hub now threatens this vital flow. Recent shipping data shows that Yanbu loadings had been averaging a near-capacity 4.6 million bpd in the week beginning March 23.

Authorities are assessing the damage, but experts said the disruption to these flows will have profound consequences for global market stability. With Saudi Aramco requiring 2 million bpd for domestic use, the remaining 5 million bpd designated for export is now in jeopardy.

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