Lebanon condemns attack on Saudi oil pipeline

Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned an attack targeting the East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh and Medina regions that caused injuries and material damage, expressing full solidarity with Saudi Arabia, according to a statement relayed by the state-run National News Agency.

In a statement, the ministry said, “Targeting vital facilities and civilian infrastructure constitutes a serious violation of the principles and purposes of the U.N. Charter, international law and international humanitarian law.”

The ministry also welcomed Iraq’s decision to launch an urgent investigation into the attack and hold those responsible accountable.

It reiterated that confronting military activities carried out by nonstate actors, particularly in Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen, is a “shared and ongoing struggle” aimed at enabling those countries to exercise their authority and sovereignty over their entire territories through their own forces.

Saudi Arabia temporarily shut its 1,200-kilometer East-West oil pipeline after drones launched from Iraq struck sections of the route in the Riyadh and Medina regions on Friday, causing injuries and damage.

The pipeline, operated by Saudi Aramco, runs from the Abqaiq oil field in eastern Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea port of Yanbu.

The Energy Ministry said the shutdown was a precautionary measure, with specialized teams working to secure the pipeline and assess its safety. The drones were reportedly launched from Iraq, where authorities have opened an investigation. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The pipeline is a key route for Saudi oil exports, particularly as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has already disrupted the kingdom’s energy shipments.