Saudi Arabia shut down a key oil pipeline system on Thursday after strikes hit pumping stations, according to two US officials and the kingdom’s Ministry of Energy.

The ministry said in a statement posted on Friday that the pipeline had been attacked and that it was “shut down as a precautionary measure”. It said an early assessment found that pump stations located next to the pipeline were struck.

Satellite imagery taken on Friday appeared to show extensive fire damage at one pumping station, while an image of another station taken on Thursday showed a small fire with plumes of thick black smoke, the US officials said.

A spokesperson for the Saudi Foreign Affairs Ministry later said the attack targeted the East-West Pipeline in the Riyadh and Madinah regions. In its statement, the ministry said the drones came from Iraq, and that the strikes resulted in injuries and some damage being addressed.

Pipeline Shutdown And Damage

The Saudi energy ministry said the pipeline was subjected to multiple attacks on Thursday and that they caused injuries. It added that teams were securing the system and assessing safety.

One of the US officials said it was not immediately clear whether drones or other projectiles damaged sections of the pipeline itself. The same official said the system was hit by drones originating from Iraq.

It was also unclear how long repairs would take, according to sources familiar with the assessment.

Saudi Response And Diplomatic Stance

The Foreign Affairs Ministry said it condemned the “attack on the East-West Pipeline” by several drones coming from Iraq. It said the kingdom chose not to respond at that stage, after receiving a request from the Iraqi prime minister for Iraq to take measures to prevent attacks launched from its territory against Saudi Arabia and other neighbouring countries, in support of Iraq’s efforts.

The US officials said American authorities were working to collect intelligence on the incident.

Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s state oil company, did not respond to a request for comment, while the State Department and the White House did not immediately respond. US Central Command declined to comment.

Regional Context And Oil Routes

The strikes come as Middle East tensions continue. The pipeline attack was described as occurring while Iran War-related risks rise for the kingdom’s oil assets and export routes.

The report also noted that the attacks on the pipeline followed days after an Iranian-aligned militia seized a strategic port city on the Red Sea in Yemen, which could affect energy shipping in the region.

Satellites detected nine large fires burning close to the East-West pipeline on Thursday. At least six of the fire locations appeared to match flare pits, which are used to burn off oil and gas in an emergency, according to the account cited in the reporting.

Several analysts and officials cited in the report have pointed to the importance of the pipeline route to Saudi exports. Since the outbreak of the US-Iran conflict, Saudi Arabia has rerouted about 5 million barrels of oil per day that would otherwise have been waiting for tankers in the Persian Gulf. The rerouted supply has instead travelled through the East-West pipeline to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, as Iran curtailed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

With Houthi fighters stating they would target Saudi ships passing through Bab al-Mandeb into the Red Sea, the Red Sea outlet for Saudi exports was also described as facing risk.

Oil Prices And Production Data

Oil prices surged above $100 a barrel during the week, moving sharply in response to developments in the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia also reported to OPEC that its crude oil production fell sharply last month to its lowest level since 1990, according to the report.

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12 September 2026

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Please keep pushing SA and UAE onto our side. They are the only arab coubtries with any influence and a good future

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