A major Saudi oil route has been forced offline after drones launched from Iraq struck the facility, adding a new threat to energy supplies as fighting across the Middle East continues to widen.
Saudi Arabia said on Friday, September 11, 2026, that it had stopped operations along its 1,200km (745-mile) East-West pipeline after the attack caused damage and left some people injured.
The kingdom said the shutdown was a precaution as authorities assessed the impact of the strike. Satellite images taken around the site showed scorched ground and smoke following the attack.
The pipeline is a crucial part of Saudi Arabia’s oil network because it allows the country to transport crude towards the Red Sea without sending it through the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi Arabia is the world's largest crude oil exporter, while the pipeline has been carrying an estimated four to five per cent of global oil supplies, according to Reuters, citing ship tracking companies and analysts.
Iraq has admitted that the attack was launched from its territory and has moved against a military commander following the incident.
The Iraqi prime minister’s office said the operations commander in Maysan governorate had been removed from his position after it was confirmed that the drones had been launched from the province, which shares a border with Iran.
Baghdad has also opened an investigation into the attack as Saudi Arabia weighs its response.
Riyadh has so far opted against retaliation, following a call from Iraq’s prime minister. The Saudi foreign ministry said the kingdom would “support the efforts of the Iraqi government” to “prevent attacks” launched from the country against neighbouring states.
At the same time, Saudi Arabia warned that it retained the right to act if its territory, facilities or people came under further threat.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia affirms that it reserves its right to take all necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and security, protect its facilities, and ensure the safety of its citizens and residents,” the statement added.
The Gulf Co-operation Council, comprising Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait, condemned the strike and described it as a serious threat to the kingdom.
“This attack represents a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable threat to the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its territorial integrity, and its vital installations, as well as a flagrant violation of the principles of international law,” secretary general Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi.
Pressure builds in Yemen
The attack on the Saudi pipeline came as Houthi fighters continued a rapid advance in Yemen, taking control of large parts of the country's Red Sea coastline.
The latest fighting has added another challenge to oil and shipping routes around the Arabian Peninsula, with the Houthis also claiming control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The group said shipping through the strategic waterway remained “safe for all companies except for Saudi vessels”.
On Friday, September 11, Yemen’s Saudi-backed government forces said they had launched attacks against Houthi positions in the coastal city of Mokha.
The strikes came a day after the Houthis captured the city, which lies about 80km (50 miles) north of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key gateway between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and towards the Suez Canal.
Yemen’s Armed Forces spokesman Majid al-Nuzaili said the military had targeted Houthi positions in and around Mokha, destroying vehicles and weapons and killing a number of fighters.
The Houthi takeover has also triggered a fresh movement of civilians, with many residents fleeing Mokha for Aden, where Yemen’s internationally recognised Presidential Leadership Council and government are based.
Local sources reported that government forces also carried out air strikes against Houthi positions in Taiz governorate along the Red Sea coast and in neighbouring Ibb governorate.
The Saudi pipeline attack and the developments in Yemen have come as the US-Iran war stretches into its seventh month, deepening fears over the security of key energy and shipping routes.
The pressure has already been felt in oil markets, with crude prices climbing above $100 a barrel for the first time since July.
The increase has revived concerns over inflation and added to pressure on governments facing higher borrowing costs as energy prices rise.