On Tuesday evening, Turkish media reported that the oil transport line between Marash and Gaziantep, southern Turkey, was hit by an unknown explosion.

Turkish media said the explosion in the pipeline led to the suspension of transportation between Gaziantep and Marash, noting that the reason is not yet known.

It added that the Marash-Gaziantep highway was closed to traffic due to the explosion of the oil pipeline in the Pazarcik District in Marash. 

The fire that broke out after the explosion spread onto the Marash-Gaziantep highway.

A large number of firefighters and ambulances rushed to the area to control the situation. 

Only through Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated on Tuesday that pumping natural gas from the eastern Mediterranean to Europe can only take place through Turkish territory.

In response to a question about Washington withdrawing its support for the EastMed pipeline project to transport natural gas to Europe, Erdogan said the United States withdrew from the East Mediterranean gas pipeline project after realizing that it would not be beneficial, "This project was not feasible, they made all the financial calculations for it and saw that there is nothing positive in this project."

Erdogan made it clear that such projects cannot succeed in isolation from Turkey, indicating that the process of transferring natural gas from the eastern Mediterranean to Europe can only take place through Turkey, adding, "Former Turkish Energy Minister Berat Albayrak had spoken with his Israeli counterpart in this regard; we had the opportunity to implement this matter with Israel, but circumstances at that time hindered this step."

He pointed out the possibility of speaking to "Israel" again regarding the transportation of natural gas to Europe, noting that "the Israeli side, at the level of the President and Prime Minister, sends messages in this regard to Turkey."

He stressed that Turkey's position regarding the situation in the eastern Mediterranean is consistent and has not changed and that Ankara's activities in this region are in accordance with the agreements concluded by Ankara with Libya.

On Turkey's activities related to oil and natural gas exploration, he said, "We have purchased 4 exploration vessels and two seismic research vessels to work in the Black and Mediterranean Seas."

When it came to the natural gas discovered in the Black Sea, Erdogan said that the pipelines that will transport the extracted gas have reached the port of Filios in Zonguldak and that his government plans to deliver gas to the country during 2023.