Saudi Arabia Closes East-West Oil Pipeline After Drone Strike South of Medina

Saudi Arabia temporarily shut down its East-West oil pipeline after a drone attack attributed to Iraqi militias, while Houthi forces struck a southern Saudi base and seized the strategic island of Perim in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Pipeline Closure After Drone Attack

Saudi Arabia said it had temporarily closed its East-West pipeline as a precaution after a drone attack that both Baghdad and Riyadh said had originated in Iraq, where Iranian-backed militias operate. [2] The 1,200 km East-West pipeline running across the Arabian Peninsula has served as the main route out for global supplies of Middle East oil for the past six months while the Strait of Hormuz has been largely shut by war. [2] It has been moving 4 million to 5 million barrels per day, amounting to 4 to 5 per cent of global supply, sparing Saudi Arabia the brunt of the disruption that has crippled other Gulf oil and gas exporters. [2] Satellite images showed black smoke rising from an area of the pipeline south of Medina. [2] The attack resulted in some injuries and damage that was being assessed, the Saudi foreign ministry said without detailing the impact on exports. [2] There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the strikes on the pipeline. [2] Iraq discharged a military commander on Saturday in reaction to the attack. [4] The Saudi energy ministry said it had closed the pipeline as a preventive measure. [4] US President Donald Trump, visiting Ireland to attend a golf tournament at one of his resorts, said Iran was probably to blame. [2]

Houthi Strike on Southern Saudi Base

Houthi fighters yesterday said they used drones and missiles to attack a military base in southern Saudi Arabia as renewed fighting with the Yemeni government forces forced growing numbers of civilians to flee. [1] The attack at the southern Sharurah base targeted weapons depots and command and control centers that are managing the aggression against our nation and people, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree wrote on social media. [1] The date of the operation was not specified. [1] On Saturday, the Saudi Civil Defence said in a statement that a projectile fired by the Houthis had injured two people in Jazan region, and damaged several buildings, including a mosque. [2] Riyadh has also been facing missile and drone attacks from Yemen based Houthis. [5] Saudi’s civil defence force on Saturday reported two people injured and a mosque among several buildings destroyed after a projectile fired by the Houthi rebels. [5]

Satellite image shows black smoke rising from Saudi East-West oil pipeline south of Medina after drone strike. — Source: gdelt

Houthi Capture of Perim Island

Four Yemeni government sources told Reuters that the Houthis had seized the strategic island of Perim on Friday in the middle of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — the Gate of Tears at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. [2] The ongoing clashes follow a week-long Houthi offensive that culminated in the group capturing the remainder of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and several strategic islands, cementing their hold on the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the sea’s southern entrance. [1] The waterway has become an important artery for Saudi Arabian oil exports after Iran largely cut off shipments through the Gulf with its blockade on the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the Middle East war. [1] The Houthis have declared their own maritime blockade of Riyadh’s Red Sea ports. [1] The Houthis have been attacking Saudi ships in the area since declaring a blockade in July and targeting its other oil facilities. [3]

Escalating Clashes in Yemen

Clashes have increased last week between the Iran-allied Houthis and Yemeni government forces, which are backed by Riyadh. [1] On Saturday, the Yemeni government forces said they had struck Houthi fighters in the Red Sea city of Mocha, and later attacked other Houthi positions in the southwestern part of the country. [1] Air force of the armed forces targeted positions and barracks of the terrorist Houthi group with three airstrikes in the Taiz region, the Yemeni military said yesterday in a social media post. [1] Houthi-run Al Masirah TV said on Sunday that Saudi Arabia carried out three airstrikes on the al-Rubaie area in Taiz province in south-western Yemen. [2] On Saturday, the Houthis said there have been 129 Saudi airstrikes over the past 48 hours. [2] Houthi-run Al Masirah TV said on Sunday that Saudi Arabia carried out three airstrikes on the al-Rubaie area in Taiz province in southwestern Yemen. [3] There was no official confirmation from Saudi Arabia. [3]

Satellite image shows black smoke rising from Saudi East-West oil pipeline south of Medina after drone strike. — Source: myjoyonline

Saudi Request for US Military Assistance

Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, phoned Trump on Thursday and asked for US military help fighting the Houthis, three sources told Reuters. [2] They said the prince was told that Washington would not intervene directly for now but would help with intelligence. [2] Trump confirmed on Saturday that he had spoken to the crown prince, and said the Houthis had also phoned his administration and asked Washington not to become directly involved in the conflict. [2] US news site Axios also reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman twice called US President Donald Trump to request strikes on the Houthis last week, but that the request was rejected. [1] Washington now faces a dilemma over whether to help the Saudis fight the Houthis, risking further expansion of the war. [2]

Impact on Global Energy Markets

Ongoing attacks in the widening Middle East war could send energy prices even higher after a week that saw the cost of Brent crude surge back above US$100 a barrel. [2] Oil prices shot up over the week ended Sep 13 and the retail price of diesel in the US surged past a record US$6 a gallon, as the United States and Iran both fired on tankers and the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen advanced along the Red Sea, potentially giving Teheran leverage over both of the region’s main oil-shipping corridors. [2] The widening Middle East conflict could reportedly push energy prices higher after Brent crude surged back above $100 a barrel last week. [5] The pipeline has helped Saudi Arabia avoid the worst of the disruption that has affected other Gulf oil and gas exporters. [5]

What to watch next: Maritime trackers received new reports of an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, adding to concerns about Iran-related threats to energy supplies. [2] Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that Iran would be attending a meeting with Gulf Arab states in Oman on Monday, at which the future of the Strait of Hormuz would be discussed. [2]