Saudi Arabia Shuts Down Major Oil Pipeline After Drone Attack

Saudi Arabia has closed its East-West pipeline after a drone attack, escalating tensions in the widening Middle East conflict. The pipeline, which stretches 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) across the Arabian Peninsula, is a critical route for Saudi oil exports. It allows the world's largest crude exporter to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that Iran has threatened to block. Both Baghdad and Riyadh said the attack originated in Iraq, where Iranian-backed militias operate. In response, Iraq dismissed a military commander on Saturday. The shutdown highlights the growing risk to global oil supplies as the conflict spreads across the region.