Saudis shut pipeline after Iraq drone attack
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The gist
Saudi Arabia shut its East-West Pipeline after drones from Iraq hit it, injuring several people.
The 7-million-barrel-a-day route bypasses Hormuz, so its halt tightens global oil supply.
Background
The East-West Pipeline is a critical lifeline for Saudi oil exports, which were disrupted by the war in Iran; the 7 million barrel-a-day route quickly reached full capacity after tanker traffic came to a near standstill in the Strait of Hormuz. Since the start of the war in the Middle East, Riyadh has increased its use of this pipeline to bypass the closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran. The attacks came as Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis tightened their grip on Red Sea shipping, with the IEA reporting Saudi crude supply at its lowest in more than three decades.
How it unfolded
- Sep 10, 2026Multiple drone attacks originating from Iraq hit Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline in the Riyadh and Madinah regions on Thursday morning, causing several injuries and damage.
- Sep 11, 2026Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry said the East-West Pipeline was shut down as a precautionary measure following the attacks. The Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks, saying the pipeline was targeted by several drones coming from Iraq.
- Sep 11, 2026Brent crude briefly rose to about $110 a barrel before easing to about $105; West Texas Intermediate traded as high as $104 before falling to about $99; U.S. diesel prices climbed above $6 a gallon. The IEA lowered its forecast for global oil demand this year, expecting a drop of 2.5 million barrels a day.
- Sep 12, 2026Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi dismissed one of the country's military commanders following the drone attack that originated from Iraqi territory. Iraq ordered the closure of the Shalamcheh border crossing between Iraq and Iran as a precautionary measure, two security sources told Reuters. A widescale operation was under way to find those responsible for the pipeline attack, two sources said.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Saudi Arabia said it chose not to respond at this stage to give Iraq an opportunity to take necessary measures, but reserves the right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty, security, facilities and inhabitants.
- Official
- Iraq welcomed Saudi Arabia's decision to hold off on retaliation and said it appreciates Riyadh's response to its efforts to contain the situation; Iraq's government condemned the attacks.
- Analysts
- Behnam Ben Taleblu of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said Iran-allied militia groups in Iraq have used drones in the past to attack Saudi Arabia and may have done so again amid a broader Iranian strategy to use proxies to push Arab nations to reject American forces in the region.
- Analysts
- The International Energy Agency said the continuing impasse in negotiations between the United States and Iran delays the prospect of a normalization of flows into next year, adding demand is expected to rebound in 2027, narrowly offsetting this year's losses.
Still unverified
It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the strikes or if sections of the pipeline itself were damaged, but one official said it was struck by drones originating from Iraq; it was also not immediately clear how long it would take to repair the damage, sources said. Though the source of the attack was unclear, Iran-allied militia groups in Iraq have used drones in the past to attack Saudi Arabia, according to Behnam Ben Taleblu of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and may have done so again.