Published: Mar 24, 2026, 08:45 IST | Updated: Mar 24, 2026, 08:45 IST
The Yanbu passage, utilizing the 1,200-km East-West (Petroline) pipeline, serves as Saudi Arabia's primary alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, allowing oil from the eastern fields to reach the Red Sea port of Yanbu. With capacity for up to 5–7 million bpd, it acts as a critical bypass during Iranian threats or conflict, but its reliance on the Houthi-vulnerable Bab al-Mandab Strait and limited capacity relative to total exports makes it an incomplete, risk-exposed alternative.