Pakistan warns of act of war if oil tanker near Saudi pipeline is attacked

Pakistan has issued a warning that any attack on an empty oil tanker stranded in the Red Sea near Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline would be treated as an “act of war”. The vessel is currently on standby following the shutdown of the Saudi pipeline, which was closed last week due to Houthi attacks and may remain inactive for up to six weeks.

Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik stated that the tanker must be moved regardless of the circumstances. Islamabad is currently evaluating several options, including keeping the vessel at the pipeline until operations resume, sailing it home via Oman or the United Arab Emirates, or securing alternative crude supplies from Libya.

The government is facing pressure due to rapidly declining diesel reserves, with current stocks estimated to last only through the current and upcoming month. The regional instability is compounded by near-daily Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and increased control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical maritime chokepoint.