Saudi Arabia has suspended operations on its East-West oil pipeline and blamed Iraqi militants for drone strikes against the route. The shutdown affects an export channel the kingdom has relied on more heavily since the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran began, as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
The pipeline stretches 745 miles (1,200 kilometers) from Abqaiq, close to the Gulf, to Yanbu on the Red Sea coast. It allows Saudi Arabia, the biggest crude exporter globally, to ship oil without passing through Hormuz. More details are expected as the story develops.
