Saudi Arabia Issues Emergency Warnings, East-West Pipeline Shut After Drone Attacks

<p>Saudi Arabia issued emergency warnings across multiple cities on Friday night and into early Saturday as the kingdom faced a series of drone attacks that forced a shutdown of its critical East-West Pipeline and drew sharp condemnation from Riyadh.</p>
<p>Alerts went out in Taif Governorate in Makkah Province, Khamis Mushait in the Asir region, and Sharurah in Najran Province. The National Early Warning Platform advised residents to remain calm, follow official instructions and move to safe locations until the danger had passed. People indoors were asked to shelter in interior rooms away from windows, while those outside were told to enter the nearest building or take cover behind a solid barrier.</p>
<p>Authorities urged the public to stay away from open areas, windows, glass, balconies and rooftops, and to avoid gatherings and photography at affected locations. Drivers who received an alert were advised to pull over away from bridges and high-rise buildings. Emergency services are reachable on 911 in Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, and on 998 in the rest of the kingdom.</p>
<p>Saudi Civil Defense later confirmed that the danger had passed in Taif, Khamis Mushait and Sharurah, though residents were asked to continue following official instructions and avoid gatherings and filming in the affected areas.</p>
<p>The East-West Pipeline was shut down on Friday, a day after it was targeted in multiple attacks. The Ministry of Energy described the closure as a precautionary measure. Several people were injured in the attacks and received medical treatment, while emergency and specialised technical teams were deployed to secure the facility and assess its condition.</p>
<p>Built in the 1980s, the East-West Pipeline is a key part of Saudi Arabia's oil-export infrastructure. It carries crude from the kingdom's eastern oil-producing areas to the Red Sea, providing an alternative route when shipping through the Strait of Hormuz faces disruption.</p>
<p>Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the attacks, saying several drones launched from Iraq were involved. Riyadh said it had chosen not to respond at this stage following a request from the Iraqi prime minister, who sought an opportunity for Baghdad to take measures to prevent attacks originating from Iraqi territory against Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries. Saudi Arabia said it supported the Iraqi government's efforts but reserved the right to take necessary measures to protect its sovereignty, security, facilities, citizens and residents.</p>
<p>Iraq subsequently launched an investigation after authorities determined the attacks were launched from a site in Maysan province. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered an investigation into the Maysan operations command and dismissed its commander, government spokesperson Sabah al-Numan said in a statement early Saturday.</p>
<p>(With inputs from Associated Press)</p>