DOHA/ISLAMABAD/TEHRAN (MNN); Saudi Arabia is seeking to increase crude oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz after attacks forced the shutdown of its East-West pipeline, Bloomberg News reported, highlighting growing pressure on the kingdom to find alternative ways to move its oil to international markets.
The East-West pipeline provides Saudi Arabia with a vital route to transport crude to the Red Sea while bypassing the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The pipeline was shut down after coming under attack.
According to Bloomberg, the pipeline had been carrying around 7 million barrels of oil per day, making it an important alternative route at a time when shipping through Hormuz has been severely disrupted by the ongoing conflict.
With the Red Sea route unavailable, Saudi Arabia is becoming increasingly dependent on the Strait of Hormuz, despite heightened security risks and continuing military tensions in the region.
The developments come as US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran wanted to reach an agreement with Washington, suggesting a possible diplomatic opening amid the widening conflict and mounting concerns over global energy supplies.
Trump said on Truth Social that Iran wanted a deal “quickly and badly” and that he would decide whether the United States would engage, while indicating that Washington was open to the possibility.
Tanker Explosion Raises Shipping Concerns
An oil tanker exploded and caught fire after reportedly striking mines in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said, according to state-affiliated Fars News Agency.
Fars identified the vessel as the Panama-flagged El Gaia, although the IRGC did not specify when the incident occurred.
Reports of the tanker incident first emerged on Sunday. India’s foreign ministry said 13 of the 14 Indian crew members aboard the vessel had been rescued, while a search was continuing for the remaining crew member.
The incident has further increased concerns over the safety of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, where several vessels have reportedly been damaged or disrupted during the conflict.
The report came after Trump claimed that all mines in the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz had been removed or detonated.
Iranian Fishing Boats Hit by Drones
Meanwhile, two Iranian fishing boats were reportedly struck by drones in southern Iran, with several fishermen missing, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported.
The boats were targeted in waters off southern Iran, but IRIB did not immediately provide details about the type of drones involved or identify those responsible for the strikes.
The broadcaster also did not give an immediate figure for the number of missing fishermen or confirm whether there had been casualties.
The reported attacks come amid heightened regional tensions and continued military confrontation involving Iran.
The reports could not immediately be independently verified.
