Saudi Arabia has temporarily halted operations on its 1,200-km (745-mile) East-West pipeline following an aerial drone attack. The Saudi Energy Ministry confirmed the closure as a precautionary measure, as the conduit had been transporting between 4 million and 5 million barrels of oil daily—accounting for approximately 4% to 5% of global supply—to bypass shipping bottlenecks in the Strait of Hormuz.
Satellite imagery revealed black smoke emanating from the pipeline infrastructure south of Medina. While the Saudi Foreign Ministry reported some injuries and ongoing damage assessments, it did not provide specific details regarding the immediate impact on export volumes. The strikes reportedly occurred on Thursday morning across the Riyadh and Medina regions.
Investigations suggest the drones originated from Iraq, a region where various Iranian-backed militias maintain an active presence. In response, the Iraqi government has dismissed a military commander who was overseeing operations in Maysan province, an area known for strong ties to Iran-supported Shi’ite groups. Iraqi officials have also ordered the closure of the Shalamcheh border crossing with Iran as a security precaution, effectively cutting off a vital route for food and produce imports.
The pipeline closure arrives amidst a broader energy crisis, with global oil prices climbing back above $100 per barrel. Concurrently, Houthi rebels in Yemen have escalated their operations in the Red Sea. Yemeni government forces confirmed that Houthi militants seized the strategic island of Perim in the Bab el-Mandeb strait on Friday, potentially granting their Iranian backers a significant geopolitical advantage in the ongoing conflict with the United States.
Diplomatic tensions remain high, with Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s national security committee, stating on social media that dialogue with the U.S. is futile unless all Iranian conditions are met. Amidst these challenges, Riyadh has sought U.S. military assistance to counter the Houthi threat, a move that carries political weight for the American administration ahead of upcoming congressional elections.
While Saudi Arabia has held off on direct retaliation at the request of the Iraqi government, the kingdom explicitly maintains its right to defend its interests. Iraqi officials have publicly condemned the strikes, and a large-scale security operation is currently underway to identify those responsible for the drone attacks.
The current instability is compounded by intelligence indicating that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have provided direct guidance for the Houthi advance along the Red Sea coast. Despite Iran’s public stance that it does not provide military direction to the Houthis, reports suggest Tehran has promised increased funding, weapons, and leadership support to intensify attacks on Saudi targets.
The International Energy Agency reported that Saudi crude supplies have dropped to their lowest point in over three decades, exacerbated by consistent Houthi-linked interference with vessels transiting the Bab el-Mandeb strait. Meanwhile, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree reiterated that while general maritime navigation remains unaffected, all Saudi-flagged vessels remain subject to a strictly enforced transit ban. The report also notes that the 1,200-km (745-mile) pipeline running across the Arabian Peninsula had helped Saudi Arabia to bypass a shipping logjam in the Strait of Hormuz, where tanker traffic has slowed to a trickle due to the six-month war between the US and Iran. The report also notes that amounting to 4% to 5% of global supply, according to ship tracking companies and analysts, the line has been moving 4 million to 5 million barrels per day in recent months. The report also notes that sources said, at a time when higher fuel prices during the war have already exacted a political toll on US President Donald Trump and his Republican Party ahead of November congressional elections, saudi Arabia has asked Washington for military help with the Houthis. The report also notes that the crossing serves as one of the main routes for the import to Iraq of vegetables and other food supplies from Iran. The report also notes that yemeni government forces indicated they would try to retake areas captured by the Houthis – mountain fighters who withstood years of devastating Saudi airstrikes during Yemen’s civil war – in their lightning offensive this week along the Red Sea coastline. The report also notes that saying they are “not a proxy”, iran describes the Houthis as an ally but publicly denies giving them military direction.