Trump accuses Iran of drone attack on Saudi pipeline
US President Donald Trump stated that Iran was probably responsible for a drone attack on Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, one of the country's main oil export routes. The incident occurred as Iran-backed Houthi forces advanced in Yemen, intensifying concerns about global oil supplies and shipping routes.
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During a visit to Ireland, Donald Trump told reporters he believed Iran was behind a drone strike on Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, a crucial route for exporting crude oil internationally. The Saudi foreign ministry confirmed that drones launched from Iraqi territory struck the pipeline facility in the Hejaz region on Thursday, forcing its closure. Iraqi authorities closed several border crossings as a precaution and, according to the Times of Israel, agreed with Iran to conduct a joint investigation into the attack sites.
The pipeline strike occurred amid a serious conflict in Yemen, where Iran-backed Houthi rebels recently captured the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait, including Mayyun Island, after government forces withdrew. According to AFP, the Houthis are now positioned along both sides of the strait, one of the world's most critical shipping chokepoints. Despite this, Trump said the Houthis had told the United States they do not want to fight, even as fighting between the group and Saudi-backed government forces increased on the ground.
The United Nations reported that at least 76,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since fighting intensified in July, with the number of newly displaced people increasing four times in just one week, according to the International Organization for Migration. Humanitarian officials warned of a serious crisis as fighting spread through the western coastal cities of al-Khokha and Mokha, causing residents to flee toward Aden.
The threat to two major oil routes, the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, has affected energy markets, though oil prices decreased slightly due to reports of possible diplomatic negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz. According to the Times of Israel, sources involved in talks suggested that reopening the strait would depend entirely on the United States accepting Iranian conditions.
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