BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 11. Smoke has been observed near Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline, one of the kingdom’s key energy infrastructure assets, according to satellite imagery cited by Reuters.
Saudi authorities had not immediately reported any incident in the area, and the cause of the smoke remained unclear.
The East-West Pipeline has gained strategic importance since the outbreak of the war, as Saudi Aramco has used the route to increase crude oil flows from the kingdom’s eastern coast to the Red Sea in the west.
The pipeline provides Saudi Arabia with an alternative route for exporting crude without relying entirely on shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
Its importance has increased amid disruptions and security risks affecting maritime traffic in the region.
