Saudi Arabia Shuts Down 7-Million-Barrel Pipeline After Drone Attack From Iraq, Oil Spikes to $110

Saudi Arabia shut down its East-West pipeline on Friday after multiple drone attacks, the kingdom's Energy Ministry said. The pipeline, also known as Petroline, is the country's only route for exporting oil without passing through the Strait of Hormuz. It stretches about 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) across Saudi Arabia from the eastern oil fields on the Persian Gulf to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, and can carry up to 7 million barrels of crude oil per day [240051].

The ministry called the closure "preventive." It said the attacks happened on the morning of Thursday, September 10, 2026, and "caused several injuries." The wounded received medical care. Emergency and technical teams responded immediately to secure the infrastructure and check its safety [240051].

Both Baghdad and Riyadh said the attack originated in Iraq, where Iranian-backed militias operate [238931]. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry said the drone strike was launched from Iraq and caused injuries and damage [239930]. Iraq's prime minister's office confirmed Saturday that the recent drone attacks on Saudi Arabia were launched from Iraq [240125].

In response, Iraq dismissed a military commander on Saturday. The dismissed commander led operations in Maysan province [238931][240125]. Iraqi forces are now hunting the attackers and have closed the Shalamcheh border crossing with Iran to stop them from fleeing across the border [240125]. Iraqi security forces also seized a platform used to launch drones at the Saudi oil pipeline, an official said. An intelligence and security task force carried out the operation inside Iraqi territory [239961].

The news briefly pushed oil prices to $110 a barrel as markets feared the conflict in the Middle East was widening [239087].

The pipeline shutdown adds to growing pressure on the Saudi government. Iran-backed Houthi forces have captured strategic points along the Red Sea, moving closer to control of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait — a vital passage for global oil shipments [239970]. The Houthis captured Mokha, Dhubab and Perim in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a narrow waterway between Yemen and East Africa through which ships pass to reach the Suez Canal [239185].

Iran, which supports the Houthi rebels, denied any involvement in the attacks [239928]. US President Donald Trump said Iran was "probably" behind the attack on the major oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia [239973].

The pipeline matters because it lets Saudi Arabia export oil while avoiding the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that is currently tense. Saudi Arabia had increased its use of the pipeline to send more exports to Yanbu and reduce the impact of the blockade and shipping restrictions [240051].

The pipeline has also faced threats in recent months. In late July, the Houthis of Yemen said they attacked "several targets and sensitive points" linked to oil supply and transport along the pipeline route with drones. In April, Iranian attacks hit a pipeline station and cut about 700,000 barrels per day of pumping volume. The flow was later fully restored [240051].

It is not known if the pipeline is operating again [240125].

Yemen's Health Ministry, controlled by the Houthi rebels, said Friday that 44 "civilians" were killed and 38 wounded over eight days, from September 3 to 10. The ministry blamed the attacks on Saudi Arabia, which backs Yemen's government forces. The ministry said five children and three women were among the dead, and 11 children and five women were among the wounded [240051].

The attack comes as the Iran-backed Houthi movement advances in Yemen and threatens to strike Saudi ships [240125]. The Houthis have stepped up recruiting, with fighters loyal to the Houthi authorities holding a rally in Sanaa on Sept. 10 to find new recruits. Yemen fell back into war in July after years of calm, pulled into the same regional fighting [239991].

The accusation adds new pressure to Iraq, which is trying to stay out of the wider regional conflict. That conflict was triggered by the U.S.-Israeli offensive against Iran that began at the end of February [239991].