Saudi Arabia Shuts Key Oil Pipeline After Iran Drone Attack

Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut its East-West oil pipeline after the vital 1,200-kilometre pipeline came under a drone attack, removing a major alternative route for transporting crude without passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The closure comes as the wider Middle East conflict disrupts shipping through Hormuz and the Red Sea, putting pressure on global energy supplies and pushing oil prices above $100 a barrel.

Saudi Pipeline Shut As Precaution

Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said the East-West pipeline was shut as a precaution after it was attacked on Thursday in the Riyadh and Medina regions.

The attack caused injuries and damaged parts of the pipeline, with authorities assessing the extent of the damage. Satellite images reportedly showed black smoke rising from an area south of Medina.

Saudi Arabia has not announced who carried out the attack. However, both Riyadh and Baghdad said the drone originated from Iraq, where Iran-backed militias have a strong presence.

The pipeline had been carrying between 4 million and 5 million barrels of crude oil per day in recent months, according to ship-tracking companies and analysts. That is equivalent to roughly 4% to 5% of global oil supply.

Why The East-West Pipeline Is Important

The East-West pipeline, also known as the Petroline, runs across Saudi Arabia from the country’s eastern oil-producing areas towards the Red Sea.

Its importance has increased sharply because tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen dramatically amid the war between the United States and Iran.

The pipeline allows Saudi Arabia to move oil towards Red Sea ports without sending tankers through Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil-shipping routes.

With the pipeline now suspended, Saudi Arabia has lost a crucial alternative at a time when several major energy routes are already under pressure.

Red Sea Disruptions Add To Energy Pressure

The situation has been further complicated by growing Houthi activity in Yemen.

Four Yemeni government sources told Reuters that Houthi forces seized the strategic island of Perim on Friday, located near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the entrance to the Red Sea.

Control of the island could give the Houthis greater strategic leverage over shipping through the waterway.

The disruptions in both the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb have contributed to tighter global energy supplies. The International Energy Agency said Saudi crude supply had fallen to its lowest level in more than three decades, partly because of attacks on ships transiting the Bab el-Mandeb by Houthi-linked groups.

Saudi Arabia Seeks US Military Support

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly spoke with US President Donald Trump at least twice on Thursday, requesting American military assistance against the Houthis, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

Washington has so far declined to take direct military action but has offered to help Saudi Arabia with intelligence sharing and targeting, the sources said.

The White House did not directly comment on the reported calls, but a senior US administration official said Washington remained in continuous contact with Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s internationally recognised government.

Iraq Takes Action After Pipeline Attack

Iraq has condemned the attack and dismissed a military commander following the incident.

The commander had been responsible for military operations in Maysan province, which borders Iran and is considered an area where Iran-backed Shi’ite militias operate.

Iraq also ordered the temporary closure of the Shalamcheh border crossing with Iran as a precaution, according to Iraqi security sources. The crossing is an important route for food and other imports from Iran.

Saudi Arabia has so far chosen not to retaliate against Iraq following a request from the Iraqi prime minister. Riyadh, however, said it reserves the right to take necessary measures to protect its interests.

Conflict Threatens Major Global Oil Routes

The pipeline attack and the reported Houthi takeover of Perim have raised concerns about a further escalation of the conflict.

If disruptions continue across both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, major oil producers could face increasing difficulties moving crude to international markets, potentially adding further pressure to global fuel prices.