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Arabia

Saudis shut down oil pipeline as Houthis tighten grip on Red Sea shipping

2026-09-12

[Reuters] Saudi Arabia has shut down its East-West pipeline, after the vital oil conduit came under aerial attack in the widening Middle East war, threatening to send energy prices even higher.

The world’s largest crude oil ‌exporter said it temporarily closed the pipeline as a precaution after a drone attack that both Baghdad and Riyadh said had originated in Iraq, where Iranian-backed militias operate.

That’d be the Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation). There are about forty groups on the IRGC payroll, not all in Iraq and not all Iraqi Shiites.

Iraq dismissed a military commander on Saturday in response to the attack.

Hmmmm…

The 1,200-km (745-mile) pipeline running across the Arabian Peninsula has served as the main route out for global supplies of Middle East oil for the past six months while the Strait of Hormuz has been largely shut by war. It has been moving 4 million to 5 million barrels per day, amounting to 4% to 5% of global supply, sparing Saudi Arabia the brunt of the disruption that has crippled other Gulf oil and gas exporters.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the strikes. Satellite images showed black smoke rising from an area of the pipeline south of Medina. The attack resulted in some injuries and damage that was being assessed, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said without detailing the impact on exports.

U.S. President Donald Trump, ⁠visiting Ireland to attend a golf tournament at one of his resorts, said Iran was probably to blame.

SAUDI LEADER ASKS FOR MILITARY HELP
Oil prices shot up over the past week and the retail price of diesel in the United States surged past a record $6 a gallon, as the United States and Iran both fired on tankers and the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen advanced along the Red Sea, potentially extending disruption to another major oil route.

Washington now faces a dilemma over whether to help the Saudis fight the Houthis, risking further expansion of the war.

Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, phoned Trump on Thursday and asked for U.S. military help fighting the Houthis, three sources told Reuters. They said the prince was told that Washington would not intervene directly for now but would help with intelligence.

Trump confirmed on Saturday that he had spoken to the crown prince, and said the Houthis had also phoned his administration and asked Washington not to become directly involved in the conflict.

Four Yemeni government sources told Reuters that the Houthis had seized the strategic island of Perim on Friday in the middle of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — the "Gate of Tears" at the mouth of the Red Sea.

Courtesy of badanov:

Saudi Arabia says Iraq-launched drones hit pipeline, Baghdad opens probe
[Rudaw] Saudi Arabia said Friday that drones launched from Iraq struck its East-West oil pipeline, causing casualties and damage, prompting Baghdad to condemn the attack and announce an urgent investigation into those responsible.

The Saudi foreign ministry condemned “in the strongest terms” the targeting of the pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions by “several drones originating from Iraq,” saying the strikes caused “human casualties and some damage that is currently being addressed.”

Riyadh said it had decided against retaliating for now after Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi asked the kingdom to give Baghdad an opportunity to take measures to prevent attacks launched from Iraqi territory.

“The Kingdom has opted not to respond at this stage, and to support the efforts of the Iraqi government,” the Saudi foreign ministry said.

It added that Saudi Arabia reserves the right to “take all measures” necessary to protect its sovereignty, security, infrastructure, citizens and residents.

Baghdad swiftly condemned the strikes and reiterated that Iraqi territory would not be allowed to serve as a launchpad for attacks on other countries.

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