Saudi Arabia's key oil pipeline was attacked and damaged, with its main capacity to be shut down for weeks.

Two regional officials said a key Saudi oil pipeline was damaged in an attack last week, and repair work will keep the pipeline's main capacity offline for several weeks. The East-West pipeline, which runs across Saudi Arabia, is a core part of the kingdom's oil export strategy. Saudi Arabia is shifting its oil export routes to the Red Sea to avoid shipping risks in the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, where shipping has been disrupted by Iran-related attacks. The 1,200-kilometer pipeline has a maximum daily throughput of 7 million barrels. The Houthis have in recent years achieved their largest territorial control in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a move that could help Iran's strategic layout: pressuring the United States by driving up global oil and gas prices. Saudi Arabia said the attack was carried out by Iran-backed Iraqi militias using drones, and the pipeline was forced to shut down last Thursday as a result. Officials familiar with the matter said repairs to the pipeline and a major pumping station are expected to take 3 to 5 weeks. One of the officials said the pipeline may be able to maintain partial capacity during the repairs.