Iran denies being at war with Saudi Arabia after drone strike hits critical oil pipeline

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian went on record September 12 to declare that his country is “not at war with Saudi Arabia,” a statement that carries a certain urgency when you consider what prompted it: a swarm of drones had just struck one of the most important oil arteries on the planet. The attack, which hit Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline around September 10-11, targeted areas near Riyadh and Medina and resulted in several injuries. The pipeline, stretching roughly 1,200 kilometers across Saudi territory, carries an estimated 4-5% of the global oil supply. Saudi operators shut it down as a precautionary measure, a move that sent immediate ripples through energy markets. What happened and who’s responsible The drones were reportedly launched from Iraq’s Maysan province, a detail that complicates an already tangled web of regional allegiances. No group has formally claimed responsibility for the strike. Iran-aligned militias in Iraq denied direct involvement but expressed pride at the potential military achievement of striking Saudi targets. US President Donald Trump weighed in with an assessment that Iran was “probably” behind the attack, a characterization that Tehran has ...