Saudi Arabia says oil facilities outside Riyadh attacked
RIYADH/DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia said armed drones had struck two oil pumping stations in the kingdom on Tuesday in what it called a “cowardly” act of terrorism two days after Saudi oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.
The energy minister of the world’s largest oil exporter said the attack caused a fire, now contained, and minor damage at one pump station, but did not disrupt oil output or exports of crude and petroleum products.
Oil prices rose on news of the attack on the stations, more than 200 miles (320 km) west of the capital Riyadh. Brent was trading at $71.07 a barrel by 1347 GMT, up 1.20%.
Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih, in comments run by state media, said the drone attack and Sunday’s sabotage of four vessels, including two Saudi tankers, off Fujairah emirate, a major bunkering hub, threatened global oil supplies.
Houthi-run Masirah TV earlier said the group had carried out drone attacks on “vital” Saudi installations in response to “continued aggression and blockade” on Yemen.
A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the Houthis for four years in Yemen to try to restore the internationally recognised government, in a conflict widely seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The Houthis have repeatedly hit Saudi cities with drones and missiles, but two Saudi sources told Reuters this was the first time an Aramco facility was attacked by drones.
State-run Aramco said it had temporarily shut down the East-West pipeline, known as Petroline, to evaluate its condition. The pipeline mainly transports crude from the kingdom’s eastern fields to the port of Yanbu, which lies north of Bab al-Mandeb.
The attacks occurred amid a war of words between Washington and Tehran over sanctions and the US military presence in the region.
Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Tuesday that neither the United States nor Iran wanted war, and Iraq was in contact with both, state news agency INA reported.
“Any dangerous slip and the region will pay a dangerous price, Iraq will pay a dangerous price,” Mahdi added.