RismadarVoice Reporters
September 12, 2026
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut its 1,200-kilometre East-West oil pipeline after the vital energy route was hit in an aerial attack, as Iran-aligned Houthi forces tighten their control along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
The Saudi Energy Ministry said the pipeline was closed as a precaution after attacks struck facilities in the Riyadh and Medina regions. Satellite imagery showed black smoke rising from a damaged section of the pipeline south of Medina, while authorities reported injuries and ongoing assessment of the damage.
The pipeline, which allows Saudi Arabia to transport crude across the Arabian Peninsula and bypass disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, has been carrying between four million and five million barrels of oil per day in recent months, equivalent to roughly 4–5 per cent of global supply.
Saudi and Iraqi authorities said the drone attack originated from Iraq, where Iran-backed armed groups maintain influence. Iraq subsequently dismissed a military commander who had overseen operations in Maysan province, which borders Iran.
Saudi Arabia has so far refrained from retaliating following a request from the Iraqi government, but Riyadh said it reserved the right to take measures necessary to protect its interests.
The pipeline attack came as Houthi forces made fresh gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coastline. Four Yemeni government sources said the Houthis seized the strategic island of Perim on Friday at the entrance to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.
The developments have heightened concerns over global energy supplies, with disruptions in both the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz putting further pressure on oil markets. Global crude prices have risen above $100 a barrel amid the tightening supply situation.
The International Energy Agency said Saudi crude supply had fallen to its lowest level in more than three decades, partly because of attacks on vessels transiting the Bab el-Mandeb by Houthi-linked groups.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has asked US President Donald Trump for military assistance against the Houthis, according to people familiar with the matter.
Washington has reportedly declined to undertake direct military action for now but offered intelligence-sharing and targeting assistance.
Meanwhile, Yemeni government forces have indicated plans to launch counteroffensives to recover territory seized by the Houthis during their rapid advance along the Red Sea coast.
Iran has been accused of providing the Houthis with weapons, funding and operational guidance. Tehran has publicly denied directing Houthi military operations and says the group is not an Iranian proxy.
The Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said maritime navigation remained safe for all vessels except Saudi ships covered by an earlier Houthi ban.
The escalating attacks have raised concerns that further Houthi control of the Bab el-Mandeb could give Iran additional strategic leverage in its wider confrontation with the United States.
Iran is expected to meet Gulf states in Oman on Monday for discussions focused on security and the disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
