Saudi Arabia Shuts East-West Oil Pipeline After Drones Launched From Iraq Hit Riyadh And Medina

Saudi Arabia temporarily shut down its East-West oil pipeline after it was hit by drones launched from Iraq, with the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs saying the pipeline was targeted in the Riyadh and Medina areas by “several drones originating from Iraq”, resulting in injuries and material damage.

“several drones originating from Iraq", resulting in injuries and material damage”

Al Jazeera

The shutdown came as Yemen’s Houthi forces made rapid advances along the coast and seized the strategic island of Mayun in the Bab al-Mandeb strait, further threatening Saudi oil exports through one of the world’s key shipping lanes.

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The pipeline is described as a land-based route carrying Saudi oil from Saudi’s Abqaiq oilfield in the east to the Yanbu port on the Red Sea in the west, and the closure halted the flow of Saudi oil exports.

Al Jazeera reported that the drones were attacked on Friday and that the attack originated in the southeastern Iraqi province of Maysan, where an investigation was under way.

The same reporting linked the Yemen front to the Red Sea corridor, noting that the Houthis seized control of Yemen’s entire Red Sea coast and captured three strategic islands on Friday, cementing their hold on the shipping corridor linking Europe and Asia.

Iraq confirmed the attacks had originated from its territory, pledged to investigate, and dismissed two senior officials, while the Saudi government said it would not retaliate “at this stage” at the request of the Iraqi prime minister.

Al Jazeera quoted the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs saying, “At the request of the Iraqi Prime Minister to allow the brotherly Iraqi government the opportunity to take the necessary measures,” Riyadh chose not to respond “at this stage”.

ABC

The GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi called the attack “a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable threat” to the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its vital installations.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was “probably” responsible for the pipeline attack, and he also said, “The Houthis called us, and they don't want to fight with us,” while adding they were “letting most ships go through.”

The reporting also described how Iraq set a Sept. 30 deadline for nonstate groups to disarm, while several powerful militias said they will not comply, as the fighting threatened to end a fragile truce in Yemen.

The pipeline stoppage was framed as precautionary, with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy saying the line was stopped as a precaution and that emergency and technical teams began securing the pipeline and verifying its integrity.

“has halted the flow of Saudi oil exports”

Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera reported that the closure of the pipeline “has halted the flow of Saudi oil exports,” and it tied the impact to the broader disruption of the Strait of Hormuz since March.

The same reporting said the East-West pipeline is operated by Saudi Aramco and runs about 1,200 kilometers from Dammam (Qatif) to Yanbu, providing a land-based route for crude oil transport that avoids the Strait of Hormuz.

ABC7 Bay Area linked the Yemen advance to global stakes, saying the Houthis’ virtual control of the strait could send global oil prices spiraling, while the fighting threatened to reignite Yemen’s civil war and put “40 million people” at stake.

As the sources described the next steps, Al Jazeera said the Iraqi prime minister ordered an “investigative council” to probe the Maysan Operations Command and dismissed its commander, while the Saudi side said it would reserve the right to “take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty, security and critical facilities”.