Saudi Pipeline Under Attack as MBS Urges Trump to Strike Houthis

The East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia was attacked by drones originating from within Iraqi territory on Thursday, September 10, causing injuries and forcing a suspension of operations as a precautionary safety measure. The attack targeted pumping stations located alongside the main pipeline, according to US officials.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called President Donald Trump twice on Thursday, urging him to launch strikes against the Houthis in response to the attacks and the group's capture of strategic positions in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. However, Trump declined both calls, with US officials stressing that the administration has no plans to intervene directly against the Houthis for now.

The East-West pipeline has become a vital route for Saudi oil exports since Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in February 2026. With a capacity of approximately 5 million barrels per day, the pipeline runs from the Eastern Province's oil fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, where it is exported via the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

The attack on the East-West pipeline arrives as Saudi crude flows through Bab al-Mandeb have already collapsed from a peak of approximately 3 million barrels per day to approximately 400,000 barrels per day in August due to Houthi threats. Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had declared that either all Gulf states export their oil freely or none will, framing the targeting of Saudi export infrastructure as a deliberate and strategic implementation of that ultimatum.