Saudi Arabia shuts pipeline after Iraq-launched drone attack
The line has carried 4% to 5% of global oil supply and lets Riyadh bypass Hormuz, while wider fighting has pushed crude above $100 a barrel.
Saturday, 12 September 2026 12:15
Saudi Arabia shut its East-West oil pipeline on Friday after drones launched from Iraq struck the line, causing injuries and damage, BBC News reported.
Riyadh said it closed the 1,200km (745-mile) pipeline as a precaution while the damage was still being assessed. Satellite images showed scorched ground and smoke near the site.
The pipeline has helped Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude oil exporter, bypass the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters has reported, citing ship tracking companies and analysts, that the line has been moving 4% to 5% of global oil supply.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said the kingdom had chosen not to retaliate at this stage after a call from Iraq’s prime minister. It said Riyadh would “support the efforts of the Iraqi government” to “prevent attacks” launched from Iraq against neighbouring states, while adding: “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.”
Iraq said it had launched an investigation and removed the operations commander in Maysan governorate, a province bordering Iran, after confirming the drone attack had been launched from that region. The Gulf Co-operation Council, made up of representatives from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait, condemned the attack, with secretary general Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi calling it “a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable threat” to Saudi Arabia’s security and vital installations.
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