Saudi Arabia Shuts East-West Pipeline After Multiple Drone Attacks Amid Iran Supply Shock

Saudi Arabia shut down its critical East-West Pipeline as a precautionary measure after the infrastructure was struck by multiple attacks on the morning of Thursday, September 10, 2026. The Saudi Ministry of Energy confirmed the shutdown, saying the pipeline was hit in both the Riyadh and Madinah regions, resulting in a number of injuries, with medical care provided to those affected. Emergency and specialist technical teams were deployed immediately to secure the pipeline and assess damage.

A CNN report, citing two U.S. officials, found that pump stations located next to the pipeline were hit by projectiles, triggering fires. Satellite imagery from September 10 showed smoke plumes from fires burning along the pipeline route, and a subsequent image showed extensive fire damage at one pumping station. According to the CNN report, a U.S. official assessed that the attack involved drones originating from Iraq.

This is the second time the 1,200-kilometer pipeline, which carries crude oil from Saudi Arabia's Gulf fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, has been struck. The first attack, in April 2026, hit a pumping station and forced a reduction in throughput, though Riyadh reported the damage was repaired within days. Energy journalist Javier Blas noted that the damage from the September attack appears larger than the first incident.

The attack compounds an already strained energy market. U.S. diesel prices hit a record $6 a gallon amid an Iran supply shock, with the surging cost of a fuel critical to agriculture and industry adding to broader price pressures. The East-West Pipeline is a key bypass route that allows Saudi exports to avoid the Strait of Hormuz, making it strategically vital at a time of elevated regional tensions.