The global energy crisis has taken a turn for the worse following a Iranian attack on Saudi Arabia’s crucial East-West pipeline. This pipeline currently serves as the kingdom's most important outlet for crude exports after Iran effectively shut down traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

The pipeline was used to divert approximately 7 million barrels per day from the eastern oil heartlands to the Red Sea port of Yanbu. Of this total volume, Aramco utilizes 2 million barrels for domestic consumption, leaving roughly 5 million barrels available for the global export market. Even after facing initial attacks on March 19, shipping data confirms that loadings at the Yanbu hub remained resilient, averaging a near-capacity 4.6 million barrels per day during the week of March 23.

This recent attack is expected to significantly impact these flows while authorities conduct a full assessment of the physical damage. Industry experts warn that any prolonged disruption to this specific route could exacerbate the most severe energy crisis in modern history. Responsibility for the strikes was claimed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which stated on Wednesday that it utilized a combination of missiles and drones to hit various regional targets, including oil facilities in Yanbu linked to American corporations.