Saudi Shuts Down Major Oil Pipeline Amid Fighting With Yemen's Houthis

Saudi Arabia has shut down a major oil pipeline, the East-West pipeline, a day after it was attacked by drones. The shutdown is considered a precautionary measure by the Saudi Ministry of Energy. The pipeline, which has played a crucial role in Saudi Arabia's ability to export oil following the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war, has been a key target for Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The Houthis have made significant territorial gains in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world's key shipping lanes, and have captured a strategic island at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The capture of Mayun, a tiny, barren volcanic island, has boosted Iran's strategy of driving up world oil and gas prices to pressure the United States. Crude prices have soared above $100 a barrel, giving Tehran more leverage in any talks. The Houthis have been attacking Saudi shipping on the Red Sea since declaring a blockade in July, and have expressed solidarity with Palestine, with their leader declaring that 'maritime navigation is safe for all companies except for Saudi vessels.' The Saudi air force did not attempt to prevent the capture of Mayun, according to a senior military official with Yemen's internationally recognized government, who attributed the failure to a lack of coordination between Yemen's army and multiple allied militias. The Houthis have vowed to escalate the confrontation with Saudi Arabia, while the Iraqi government has condemned the assault and ordered an investigation. Earlier report (2026-09-12 06:06): Saudi Arabia has shut down a major pipeline, the East-West pipeline, after it was attacked by drones the day before. The move comes as Houthi rebels in Yemen have seized coastal territory near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, threatening Saudi oil exports through a key shipping lane. The Houthis have made their biggest territorial gains in years along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world's key shipping lanes. This advancement could boost Iran's strategy of driving up world oil and gas prices to pressure the United States. The Saudi Ministry of Energy called the shutdown "a precautionary measure," while the Saudi Foreign Ministry blamed the attack on drones coming from Iraq. The Iraqi government condemned the assault and ordered an investigation. Regional officials told The Associated Press that the Houthis helped the Iraqi militias plan and execute the attacks. The pipeline, built in the 1980s, has played an important role in Saudi Arabia's ability to export oil following the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war. The Houthi's capture of Mayun, a tiny, barren volcanic island inside the strait, has also been confirmed. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, has increasingly relied on the Red Sea to get its crude to market as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has been striking ships. Houthi efforts to close the 28-kilometer-wide Bab el-Mandeb channel have made that route more complicated. Crude prices this week soared above $100 a barrel, giving Tehran more leverage in any talks. The Houthis have been attacking Saudi shipping on the Red Sea since declaring a blockade in July, as well as hitting oil infrastructure inside Saudi Arabia. A senior military official with Yemen's internationally recognized government said the Saudi air force did not try to prevent the capture of Mokha, about 50 miles from the strait. He attributed the failure to a lack of coordination between Yemen's army and multiple allied militias, giving the Houthis a valuable opportunity. Shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait has fallen by about 60% since the Houthis began attacking some ships there in late 2023.