Sep 12, 2026
2 min read
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut down its East-West oil pipeline after a drone attack on Thursday, as Houthi advances in Yemen threaten another major route for global oil shipments.
The 1,200-kilometre pipeline can carry between four million and five million barrels per day. It moves oil across Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.
That alternative route has become critical during the six-month war between the United States and Iran, which has reduced tanker traffic through Hormuz.
The attack struck pipeline facilities in the Riyadh and Medina regions, causing damage and injuries. Saudi Arabia and Iraq said the drones came from Iraqi territory, where Iranian-backed militias operate. No group has claimed responsibility.
Iraq later dismissed a military commander as authorities investigated the attack.
The shutdown comes as Iran-aligned Houthi forces expand their control along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
The Houthis recently seized Perim Island at the entrance to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The narrow passage connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and carries oil and other international cargo.
The advance could make it easier for the group to target or restrict ships using the route.
Saudi Arabia is now under pressure on both sides of the Arabian Peninsula. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, while attacks linked to the Houthis have disrupted shipping through the Red Sea.
The International Energy Agency says Saudi crude supplies have fallen to their lowest level in more than three decades. Oil prices have also risen above 100 United States dollars per barrel.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly sought military help from Washington. The United States declined to intervene directly but offered intelligence support.
The pipeline shutdown could further tighten supplies, delay shipments and keep fuel prices elevated.
Rewritten from Reuters
