The pipeline was closed as a precaution after an aerial attack that Saudi Arabia and Iraq said originated in Iraq, where Iranian-backed militias operate. Iraq dismissed a military commander on Saturday following the attack.
The East-West pipeline runs across the Arabian Peninsula and provides Saudi Arabia with an alternative route for exporting crude without relying on the Strait of Hormuz. Tanker traffic through the strategic waterway has slowed sharply amid the conflict between the US and Iran.
Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said the pipeline was shut as a precaution. Ship-tracking companies and analysts estimate that it had been transporting between four million and five million barrels of oil per day in recent months, equivalent to around 4% to 5% of global supply.
The attack comes as Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen have increased their control over parts of the Red Sea. Disruptions in both the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz have placed pressure on energy supplies and pushed global oil prices above $100 a barrel.
Four Yemeni government sources told Reuters that the Houthis seized the strategic island of Perim on Friday at the entrance to the Red Sea in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The reported attacks on the Saudi pipeline and Perim island have raised concerns over a wider escalation as diplomatic efforts to end the war remain stalled.
Saudi Arabia has asked Washington for military assistance against the Houthis, according to sources familiar with the matter. The request comes as higher fuel prices caused by the war have created political pressure on US President Donald Trump and the Republican Party ahead of November’s congressional elections.
The East-West pipeline was attacked on Thursday morning in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh and Madina regions, according to the Saudi Energy Ministry. It was not immediately clear who was responsible.
The Iraqi military commander dismissed following the attack had been responsible for operations in Maysan province, which borders Iran. The area has long been regarded as a stronghold of Iran-backed Shi’ite militias.
Saudi Arabia has so far refrained from retaliating after Iraq’s prime minister asked the kingdom not to escalate the situation. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said Riyadh reserves the right to take all necessary measures to protect its interests. Iraq’s government also condemned the attacks.
The International Energy Agency said on Friday that Saudi crude supplies had fallen to their lowest level in more than three decades, partly because of attacks on vessels passing through the Bab el-Mandeb by Houthi-linked groups.
Iraq also ordered the closure of the Shalamcheh border crossing with Iran as a precaution, according to two security sources. The crossing is a major route for Iranian food and vegetable exports into Iraq.
The sources said Iraqi authorities had launched a large-scale operation to identify those responsible for the pipeline attack.
Houthis advance along Red Sea
If the Houthis consolidate control over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Iran could gain a significant strategic advantage in its conflict with the US.
Yemeni government forces have indicated that they intend to retake territory captured by the Houthis, who have fought Saudi-backed forces during Yemen’s long-running civil war.
Reuters reported that the Houthis’ rapid advance along Yemen’s Red Sea coast came with direct guidance from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Two Iranian sources told Reuters that Tehran had instructed the Houthis to intensify attacks on Saudi Arabia and promised additional funding, weapons and senior officers.
Iran describes the Houthis as an ally but denies directing their military operations and says the group is not a proxy.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said maritime navigation remained safe for all vessels except Saudi ships, which are subject to a previously announced ban.
Saudi Arabia seeks US assistance
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called President Trump at least twice on Thursday to request US military assistance against the Houthis, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The US told Riyadh that it was not prepared to take direct military action against the Houthis for now, but would assist with intelligence sharing and targeting, the sources said.
The White House did not respond to Reuters questions about the calls. A senior US administration official said Washington remained in continuous communication with Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government.
