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Saudi Arabia shuts oil pipeline as Houthis tighten Red Sea control
By Aurax Radio | September 12, 2026 | 2 min read
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut down its major East-West oil pipeline after an aerial attack, while Iran-backed Houthi rebels expanded their control along Yemen’s Red Sea coast. The developments have increased pressure on global energy supplies as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely disrupted.
Houthi control of Mayun Island has increased concerns over shipping through the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The 1,200-kilometre (745-mile) pipeline transports an estimated 4 million to 5 million barrels of oil per day from Saudi Arabia’s eastern oil fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, allowing exports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi authorities said the pipeline was closed as a precaution after an attack caused damage and injuries in the Riyadh and Medina regions. The source of the attack was not immediately confirmed, although Saudi Arabia and Iraq said it originated in Iraq, where Iranian-backed militias operate. Riyadh has so far held back from retaliation while Baghdad investigates and has taken steps against a military commander linked to the area where the attack originated.
The pipeline closure came as the Houthis seized the strategic island of Mayun, also known as Perim, in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, following their capture of the Yemeni port city of Mokha. The group’s growing presence near the maritime chokepoint threatens a major route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal. The Houthis have warned that Saudi vessels could face restrictions, raising concerns over further attacks on commercial shipping and oil tankers. With both Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb facing heightened security risks, oil prices moved above $100 per barrel, increasing the possibility of higher transportation, fuel and consumer costs worldwide.
Sources: The Associated Press, Reuters, CNN and Al Jazeera.
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