Saudi East-West Pipeline to Remain Offline Five to Six Weeks After Drone Strike

Pipeline Attack and Damage Assessment

Satellite images released by Vantor show massive damage to the pumping station in al-Mesabaah following the Friday attack and resulting fires. [3] A satellite image released by Vantor shows a view of a pumping station along the general route of Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline in al-Mesabaah, southeast of Medina, following a drone attack, on 13 September 2026. [1] The images were published following an attack and fires at the site on Friday that caused widespread damage. [3] Saudi Arabia may need five to six weeks to repair damage from a drone attack on its East-West Pipeline. [1] A crucial Saudi oil pipeline that was struck in an attack last week will mostly be out of service for weeks as the damage is repaired. [2]

Satellite image shows damaged pumping station at Saudi East-West Pipeline in al-Mesabaah after drone attack. — Source: newsmax

Impact on Global Oil Markets

Saudi Arabia has exported around four million barrels per day of oil via the pipeline, or four percent of global supply. [1] The pipeline’s closure will take nearly four percent of global oil supplies off the market. [1] Brent, the international benchmark, was trading up three percent on Monday at nearly $108 per barrel. [1] Physical crude sold from Oman is fetching $121 per barrel, and Murban crude, which is the price for oil shipped from the UAE port of Fujairah, is $131 per barrel. [1] The price spike comes as the global economy grapples with high inflation and soaring borrowing costs. [1]

Strategic Role of the East-West Pipeline

Saudi Arabia built the East-West Pipeline in the 1980s as a bypass around the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran-Iraq war. [1] It runs from the kingdom’s oil fields on the Gulf coast to the Red Sea port of Yanbu. [1] The East-West Pipeline has allowed Saudi Arabia to continue exporting around two-thirds of its pre-war oil volume despite Iran imposing a de facto blockade against Gulf producers in the Strait of Hormuz. [1] The pipeline’s closure will not only heap pressure on Saudi Arabia, but also remind other Gulf states of their vulnerabilities as they look for options to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. [1] The UAE has used a small pipeline terminating at the Port of Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman to bypass Hormuz. [1]

Houthi Offensive and Regional Escalation

Oil already soared last week as a result of a lightning Houthi offensive that put the group in control of Yemen’s side of the Bab el-Mandeb, a key Red Sea chokepoint for Saudi Arabian oil shipments. [1] The incident comes as Yemen’s Houthi group have stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure. [3] The attacks are putting Saudi Arabia’s oil industry to the test and sparking fears the kingdom could be dragged back into an all-out war in Yemen, which Riyadh has sought to avoid since a ceasefire took hold in 2022. [3] Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi terror group claimed Monday that it carried out a large-scale ballistic missile and drone attack on King Khalid Air Base in southern Saudi Arabia. [5] The Houthis said dozens of ballistic missiles and drones targeted military infrastructure at the base in Khamis Mushait, including aircraft hangars, radars, runways and ammunition depots. [5] The group claimed the strikes caused significant damage to the base. [5] The Houthis stated that the operation was carried out in response to what they described as more than 300 Saudi airstrikes across Yemen during the previous five days. [5] Saudi warplanes retaliated with dozens of air strikes, reminiscent of the years when the Saudi-led coalition carried out extensive bombing campaigns on areas controlled by the Houthis. [3] The Houthis have made significant territorial gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and on islands near the strategically important Bab al-Mandab Strait. [5] Yemeni government and Houthi officials said Monday that the rebels had captured Greater Hanish and Lesser Hanish, two islands roughly 160 kilometers north of the strait. [5] The takeover followed the group’s seizure of Mocha and Mayyun Island, also known as Perim, during its rapid advance along Yemen’s western coastline. [5]

Satellite image shows damage to Saudi East-West Pipeline pumping station southeast of Medina after drone strike. — Source: middleeasteye

Attribution and Iran’s Axis of Resistance

Saudi Arabia said last week that the drone attack originated from Iraq, which is home to Shia-dominated militias aligned with Iran. [1] Both Yemen’s Houthis and Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces are part of Iran’s "Axis of Resistance", although the Houthis operate with more independence from Tehran. [1] Still, the closure of Saudi Arabia’s pipeline is a win for both Iran and the Houthis, as it underscores the kingdom’s vulnerabilities. [1] The Houthis are looking to capitalise on their offensive to expand territory under their control, while Iran wants to cement its hold over the Strait of Hormuz. [1]

Outlook for Saudi Energy Infrastructure

The pipeline’s closure will not only heap pressure on Saudi Arabia, but also remind other Gulf states of their vulnerabilities as they look for options to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. [1] No military solution to conflict in Yemen, Eritrean foreign minister says. [1] The Monday claim followed a major Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia the previous week, when the group used missiles and drones against Khamis Mushait and Saudi energy infrastructure. [5] Saudi authorities said those attacks wounded more than 70 people and caused fires at oil facilities. [5] The Houthis threatened further operations inside Saudi territory if the strikes on Yemen continued, saying they would respond to any additional escalation with larger attacks. [5]

What to watch next: The Houthis have threatened further operations inside Saudi territory if the strikes on Yemen continued, and government forces backed by Saudi Arabia attempted over the weekend to regroup and launch a counteroffensive following the Houthi advances around the Bab al-Mandab Strait.