Türkiye, Saudi FMs discuss pipeline attacks, regional security

Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on Friday discussed recent attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and broader regional security developments during a telephone conversation, Turkish diplomatic sources said. The two ministers exchanged views on the latest developments in the region amid heightened tensions following strikes on Saudi energy infrastructure that prompted pipeline closures.

Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry said Friday that it shut down the East-West Pipeline after the conduit was hit by multiple attacks in the Riyadh and Madinah regions a day earlier. A number of people were injured in the strikes and received medical care, though the ministry did not specify the exact number of casualties or their condition, according to CNN, which cited US officials familiar with the incident.

Strategic artery hit

The pipeline was shut down "as a precautionary measure" following the attacks, the ministry said. The strikes on Thursday targeted pumping stations along the critical artery, triggering fires that prompted authorities to halt operations along the entire length of the system.

The East-West pipeline carries crude from Saudi Arabia's eastern oil-producing region to the Red Sea port of Yanbu — a route that allows the kingdom to maintain exports while bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. The attacks marked a rare direct hit on Saudi Arabia's domestic energy infrastructure, which handles a significant portion of the country's production capacity.