Saudi Arabia shuts its East-West pipeline after drone attacks launched from Iraq

Doha, September 13, 2026. The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned "in the strongest terms" the targeting of the East-West Saudi oil pipeline, which was hit in the Riyadh and Medina regions by several drones launched from Iraq, an attack that left wounded and caused material damage. In a statement relayed by Gulf Times, Qatari diplomacy describes the operation as a "reprehensible act" and a "flagrant violation of international law", seeing it as "a dangerous escalation that could undermine the security and stability of the region".

The Doha text focuses less on the origin of the attack — which Baghdad confirmed on Saturday as coming from its own territory — than on the measured response from Riyadh. Doha "welcomes the responsible approach adopted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia", which chose not to retaliate immediately to give the Iraqi government "the opportunity to take the necessary measures to prevent attacks from being launched from Iraqi territory against the Kingdom and neighboring countries". Qatar affirms its "full solidarity" with Riyadh and its support for "all measures taken by the Kingdom to protect its sovereignty, security, and facilities".

This reading is part of a broader regional front: Kuwait, Oman, and Egypt have published almost identical condemnations in the same hours, an alignment that, from Doha's perspective, is seen as a consolidation of the Gulf bloc around Riyadh rather than a direct confrontation with Tehran. The 1,200-kilometer pipeline, which carries between 4 and 5% of the world's crude oil supply while bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, remains closed after the fire caused by the drones on Friday night. Washington, through the voice of Donald Trump, has deemed Iran "probably" responsible — an accusation that the Qatari statement does not repeat, instead attributing territorial responsibility to Baghdad and welcoming the diplomatic path chosen by Riyadh.

Berlin, September 13, 2026. For the German press, the closure of the Saudi East-West oil pipeline is first felt at the pump. The Brent barrel has exceeded $100 again on Wednesday, reports ZEIT Online, a surge that immediately revives the domestic debate. The co-chair of Die Linke, Ines Schwerdtner, has demanded from Chancellor Friedrich Merz an emergency plan against the "price shock", accusing him of wanting to wait until gasoline and diesel become unaffordable before distributing aid that would ultimately secure the profits of energy groups; she is calling for a cap on their margins. The prices at the pump and for heating, she insists, have an impact all the way to the supermarket checkout.

At the core of the issue, Tagesschau and DW recall that the pipeline, over 1,200 kilometers long, allows Riyadh to bypass the Strait of Ormuz, which has been almost blocked for six months due to the war between Washington and Tehran, to transport up to seven million barrels per day to the Red Sea. According to ZEIT Online, the pipeline was already targeted at the end of July by Iranian allies operating from Iraq, and now transports oil normally destined for tankers waiting in the Persian Gulf. The drones struck the regions of Riyadh and Medina; the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports material damage and several injured, without designating a responsible party — a vagueness that the German press relays without taking a stance.

Madrid, September 13, 2026. The Spanish press first focuses on the price of a barrel. Under the title "Arabia Saudí cierra su único oleoducto alternativo a Ormuz tras sufrir varios ataques", El Diario details the "precautionary" closure of the East-West pipeline, known as Petroline, decided on Friday, September 11, by the Saudi Ministry of Energy after the infrastructure was, according to the official statement, "the target of multiple attacks on the morning of Thursday, September 10, 2026". The ministry, which locates the pipeline in the regions of Riyadh and Medina, specifies that "the attacks caused several injuries, which received medical attention", without designating the origin or the perpetrators of the attack.

Expansión emphasizes the financial scope of the event: its title announces that "oil exceeds $107 and reactivates the debt escalation". The economic daily recalls that the pipeline, 1,200 kilometers long, connects the oil fields in the east of the kingdom, on the Persian Gulf, to the port of Yanbu, on the Red Sea, with a maximum capacity of seven million barrels per day. Its strategic function, the two newspapers stress, is to allow Riyadh to export its crude oil while avoiding the Strait of Hormuz. El Diario emphasizes, in its title itself, that it is the "only alternative pipeline to Hormuz" that the kingdom has, a route whose use had intensified "in the current context of tensions in the Strait of Hormuz".

Paris, Sunday, September 13, 2026. The French economic and international press is measuring this weekend the extent of the blow dealt to Saudi exports after the closure of the East-West oil pipeline, the Petroline, the only route allowing Riyadh to export its crude without passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The French government notes that the Saudi kingdom has just lost a key infrastructure for transporting its oil, recalling that the pipeline connects Abqaïq, near the Gulf, to the port of Yanbou, on the Red Sea.

BFM Business details the extent of the issue: the pipeline has a capacity of seven million barrels per day, a volume that Riyadh has increasingly mobilized since the outbreak, at the end of February, of the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran. France 24 specifies that the pipeline, 1,200 kilometers long, has been transporting between 4 and 5 million barrels daily in recent months, or 4% to 5% of global supply, sparing Saudi Arabia until now the fate of other Gulf exporters affected by the war.

The French media highlight the double constraint that now weighs on Riyadh: on its southern flank, the Houthi rebels supported by Iran seized the Bab Al-Mandab Strait on Thursday, September 10, closing the other outlet to the Indian Ocean, according to Le Monde. The closure of the Petroline thus deprives the kingdom of its last bypass route around Hormuz at the very moment when the other maritime outlet is also cut off.

Buenos Aires, September 13, 2026. In Buenos Aires, the shutdown of the Saudi East-West oil pipeline is seen primarily through the lens of the oil market, rather than as a regional diplomatic episode. According to Ámbito, Saudi Arabia has temporarily closed this infrastructure, deemed "fundamental" for supporting its crude oil exports in the face of navigation difficulties in the Strait of Hormuz, after several points on the network were attacked on Thursday. The media outlet emphasizes that the pipeline "can transport up to 7 million barrels daily to the Red Sea" and had reached its maximum utilization level.

Infobae reports that the Saudi Ministry of Energy announced a "preventive" shutdown after attacks occurred on Thursday morning in the regions of Riyadh and Medina. The ministry indicates that the incidents resulted in several injuries, all of whom were taken for medical treatment, and that technical teams and emergency units were immediately deployed to check the status and security of the infrastructure, in coordination with the relevant agencies. The ministry promised to inform "in due time" of any developments.

Both articles stress the growing role of this pipeline since the start of the war between the United States and Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz: Infobae estimates that around five million barrels per day are being diverted through this route, which connects the oil fields in the east of the kingdom to the export terminal in Yanbu, on the Red Sea, thus avoiding the passage through the Persian Gulf.

Canberra, September 13, 2026. For the Australian press, the closure of the Saudi East-West oil pipeline is part of a crisis that has almost simultaneously closed the two major bypass routes around the Gulf. The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age report that Houthi rebels, allies of Iran, have reached the strategic island of Perim, in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, according to four Yemeni government sources, while Riyadh-backed forces have also withdrawn from the coastal city of Dhubab, opposite the island. At the same time, the East-West oil pipeline, which "helped to relieve the congestion in the Ormuz strait", was closed after a drone attack launched from Iraq, according to Saudi officials cited by the two titles.

This double closure is worrying maritime transport analysts: "These waters are not safe", summarizes Michelle Wiese Bockmann, from the maritime intelligence company Windward, quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald. The newspaper recalls that if the Houthis were to control Bab el-Mandeb durably, their Iranian patron would gain a decisive advantage in their war against the United States, reducing access to a second major corridor and driving prices up. Since the beginning of the conflict at the end of February, at least 22 sailors have been killed at sea, according to the New York Times relayed by the Australian press.

Dhaka, September 13, 2026. For Bangladesh, a net crude oil importer whose economy remains vulnerable to energy shocks, the closure of the Saudi East-West oil pipeline confirms the fragility of the global supply system after six months of war between the United States and Iran. Local media reports that Riyadh has closed, as a precaution, this 1,200-kilometer pipeline that still transports between 4 and 5 million barrels per day, or 4% to 5% of global supply, after a drone attack on Friday night. The pipeline allowed Saudi Arabia to bypass the congestion in the Strait of Hormuz, where oil traffic has slowed due to the US-Iranian confrontation.

For Dhaka, whose energy import bill already weighs on the trade balance, the rise in the barrel price above $100 announces additional pressure on domestic fuel and electricity prices. Local media notes that the retail price of diesel has already exceeded a record of $6 per gallon in the United States, a sign of inflationary contagion that could also affect importing economies in South Asia.

On the political front, Bangladeshi coverage notes that Baghdad confirmed on Saturday that the drones were launched from Iraqi territory, resulting in the dismissal of the military commander and police chief of the Maysan province, on the Iranian border, and the closure of the main local border post. The Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of militias supported by Iran, denied any involvement. Riyadh indicated that it will not retaliate, preferring to "give Baghdad the opportunity to take necessary measures." Donald Trump judged Tehran "probably" responsible.

Ottawa, September 13, 2026. In the Canadian press, the drone attack that forced Saudi Arabia to shut down its East-West oil pipeline on Friday night is being viewed through the lens of regional escalation rather than just a oil shock. The Globe and Mail and CBC News, which follow a nearly identical narrative, report that Baghdad was "racing" on Saturday to contain the fallout after Iraqi militias close to Iran were accused of carrying out the strike. A leading group of these militias denied any involvement, but the Iraqi government confirmed that the drones were launched from its territory, fired two senior officials, and promised an investigation.

The pressure on Baghdad to disarm non-state armed groups is presented as particularly acute: the government has set September 30 as the deadline to surrender arms, but several of the most powerful militias have already announced that they will not comply. The two outlets explicitly link this urgency to the advance of Iranian-backed Houthi rebels along the west coast of Yemen, described as a "major setback" for the Riyadh-backed coalition and likely to expand the war in the region. On Friday, the Houthis seized an island in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, a waterway through which around 12% of global trade passes — a chokepoint that, according to these accounts, could send already inflated oil prices soaring, after six months of war between Iran and the US, in a context where the Strait of Hormuz is already disrupted.

Accra, September 13, 2026. GBC Ghana Online and MyJoyOnline reported on Saturday that Riyadh has shut down its 1,200-kilometer East-West oil pipeline, which carries "between 4% and 5%" of the world's oil supply, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, after a drone attack hit pumping stations on Friday night. The Saudi Ministry of Energy cited a "precautionary" closure after strikes that "caused a number of injuries." Satellite images show scorched earth and smoke columns near the targeted facilities.

The two Ghanaian outlets emphasized the confirmed Iraqi origin of the projectiles: Baghdad admitted that the drones were launched from the Maysan province, bordering Iran, and fired the military commander of the area while opening an investigation. The Iraqi government condemned the attacks, which "undermine the security and stability of the Kingdom" and harm the "fraternal relations" between the two countries.

Notably, as reported by MyJoyOnline, Riyadh has chosen restraint: after being contacted by the Iraqi Prime Minister, the kingdom announced that it would "not retaliate at this stage," while reaffirming its right to "take all necessary measures" to protect its facilities and citizens. The Ghanaian press linked this episode to the advance of Houthi rebels, allies of Iran, who have taken control of the entire Red Sea coast in Yemen, adding pressure on oil shipping routes as the war between the United States and Iran enters its seventh month. For Accra's editorial teams, the issue goes beyond regional diplomacy: the pipeline transported several million barrels per day, according to figures relayed via Reuters and cited by the two outlets, and the barrel has risen above $100. Such a surge, if it persists, will increase the cost of fuel and refined product imports for West African economies already facing inflation, even when, like Ghana, they have domestic oil production. No repair schedule has been announced by the Saudi authorities, as technical teams are still assessing the extent of the damage to the affected pumping stations.

New Delhi, September 13, 2026. India, a major crude oil importer, is weighing the consequences of the closure of the East-West Saudi pipeline after drone attacks occurred on Thursday night to Friday against pumping stations in the Riyadh and Medina regions, injuring several people. According to the Times of India, the Saudi Energy Ministry presented this closure as a "precautionary measure", while Saudi diplomacy claimed that the drones entered from Iraq, where militias supported by Iran operate.

The Indian press emphasizes the scope of the targeted infrastructure: 1,200 kilometers long, the pipeline allowed Riyadh to bypass the congested Strait of Hormuz, which has been affected by the war between the United States and Iran, by transporting 4 to 5 million barrels per day to the Red Sea, equivalent to 4 to 5% of the global supply, according to tanker tracking companies cited by The Hindu Business Line. The closure has caused the barrel price to rise above $100.

Baghdad reacted quickly: Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered an investigation into the operational command of the Maysan province, bordering Iran, and dismissed its head after establishing the Iraqi origin of the attacks. Riyadh said it wants to give Iraq the "opportunity to take necessary measures" rather than retaliate.

Tehran, September 13, 2026. Iranian authorities reject any responsibility in the drone attack that forced Saudi Arabia to close its East-West oil pipeline on Saturday, a 1,200-kilometer pipeline connecting its oil fields to the Red Sea. According to Iran International, Iraqi groups targeted by Baghdad's and Riyadh's accusations have denied any role in the operation, while stating they "would be proud" if they had been the perpetrators - a phrase the Iranian press retains as proof that the claim does not implicate Tehran or its relays.

The statement by Donald Trump, who judged Iran "probably" behind the attack, is presented as an unfounded accusation, in line with his comments on February 28, when he had promised the Iranians that "the hour of your freedom is near" and called on them to "take control" of their government. Six months later, notes Iran International, this rhetoric has produced no concrete policy, and Trump himself has acknowledged that the November electoral calendar weighs on decisions to escalate against Tehran - an admission the Iranian press retains as proof that the accusation primarily serves a US domestic agenda.

Another front highlighted is Yemen, where Yemeni armed forces claimed on Saturday a missile and drone operation against a Saudi military base in Sharoura, targeting, according to their spokesperson Yahya Saree, arms depots and command centers "directing the aggression against Yemen". This strike, distinct from the one targeting the oil pipeline but assumed without ambiguity, serves as a counter-example for Tehran: proof that its allies claim their operations when they are responsible, unlike the unclaimed Iraqi attack.

Rome, September 13, 2026. The Italian press is deciphering the closure of the East-West Saudi oil pipeline as less of an isolated military episode and more as the first tangible economic bill of the push by pro-Iranian militias in the region. ANSA recalls that Riyadh had to temporarily shut down the pipeline that allows it to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, after a drone attack launched from Iraq, "a free zone for pro-Tehran militias that are part of the Iranian Resistance Axis, like the Houthis in Yemen." The raid caused injuries and damage still being assessed; it has not been claimed.

Donald Trump, on a trip to Ireland for a golf tournament at one of his complexes, has called into question Tehran, deeming Iranian responsibility "probable," while promising that the war in Iran would end after the midterm elections, when "oil prices will collapse." The American president also hinted that he would not intervene against the Yemeni rebels despite their conquest of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, stating that "the Houthis called us and do not want to fight with us." This version was immediately denied by Hazem al-Assad, a member of Ansarullah's political bureau, who described the statement as "unfounded and false."

Manille, September 13, 2026. The shutdown of the Saudi East-West oil pipeline, announced on Saturday after drone attacks from Iraq, resonates in the Philippines as an economic warning signal more than a military one. The 1,200-kilometer pipeline, which connects Abqaiq to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, was transporting between 4 and 5 million barrels per day in recent months, or 4 to 5% of the world's supply, according to data cited by GMA News. Its shutdown, combined with the persistent blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, has driven crude oil prices back above $100 per barrel, a level that local media is closely watching as the archipelago relies heavily on imports to cover most of its energy needs.

The Saudi Ministry of Energy presented the shutdown as a precautionary measure after an attack that injured people in the Riyadh and Medina regions, according to the Inquirer. Riyadh chose not to retaliate immediately, at the request of the Iraqi Prime Minister, while reserving "the right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty, security, facilities, and inhabitants." Baghdad, on the other hand, fired a military commander in response to the attack.

The situation is compounded by tension in the Red Sea: Yemeni government sources cited by Reuters claim that Houthi rebels seized the strategic island of Perim on Friday, at the entrance to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. GMA News notes that this dual push, on the pipeline and the island, could mark a dangerous escalation as diplomatic efforts to end the regional war remain stalled. Riyadh has also reportedly requested military aid from Washington against the Houthis, a surge in fuel prices that already weighs on the US president's political credit ahead of the elections.

Islamabad, Sunday, September 13, 2026. The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) issued a statement on Saturday condemning "firmly" the drone attacks on the Saudi East-West oil pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions, a gesture that reflects Islamabad's consistent diplomatic alignment with Riyadh in the Gulf crisis.

The text, released under reference PR No. 242/2026, reaffirms Pakistan's support for "the sovereignty, territorial integrity, security, and prosperity" of the Saudi kingdom, and reiterates "its solidarity with the leadership, government, and people" of the country. For the MoFA, cited by The Express Tribune and the Daily Times, targeting civilian infrastructure constitutes "a flagrant violation of international law" and "a serious threat to regional peace, security, and stability".

The targeted pipeline, 1,200 kilometers long, connects Abqaiq to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea and allowed Saudi Arabia to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, which is blocked due to the war between Iran and the United States. It transported between 4 and 5 million barrels per day over the past few months, accounting for 4 to 5% of global supply, according to data cited by Business Recorder and Geo News. Its closure, decided "as a precaution" by the Saudi Ministry of Energy, has driven crude oil prices above $100 per barrel.

Bucharest, September 13, 2026. The temporary closure of the Saudi East-West oil pipeline, decided after a series of drone attacks targeting pumping stations near Medina, is seen in Bucharest less as a military episode in the Middle East than as a new blow to an already struggling energy market. According to Mediafax, citing Reuters, this 1,200-kilometer pipeline, which allows Saudi Arabia to transport between 4 and 5 million barrels per day to the Red Sea while avoiding the Strait of Hormuz, carried "the equivalent of 4 to 5% of the world's oil supply" in recent months. Its shutdown, decided by the Saudi Ministry of Energy "as a precautionary measure", deprives Riyadh of its main bypass route, while traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is already reduced to very low levels due to the war between the United States and Iran.

The Romanian press links this closure to an already bleak regional picture: Saudi production had fallen in August to 6 million barrels per day, "a minimum level in 30 years", while Qatar, hit by an Iranian strike on the Ras Laffan gas complex, saw two of its fourteen production units damaged, with repairs estimated to take between three and five years. QatarEnergy is now negotiating long-term purchases of American liquefied gas, while the country previously supplied a fifth of the world's LNG production.

Moscow, September 13, 2026. Russian media is reporting an attack with competing versions. RT and TASS report that the Saudi East-West oil pipeline, a 1,200-kilometer pipeline that transports crude oil from the Eastern Province to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, was hit by several drones on Thursday in the regions of Riyadh and Medina. "The East-West pipeline was attacked by several drones launched from Iraq, resulting in casualties," the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, as quoted by TASS. The Ministry of Energy mentioned "injuries" and a precautionary shutdown of the affected pumps, with emergency teams dispatched to secure the facility.

But the origin of the attack remains disputed in the Russian account. The Yemeni Houthi movement Ansar Allah claimed responsibility for the operation, TASS notes, while US intelligence sources do not rule out drone strikes launched from Iraq by pro-Iranian groups. RT, on the other hand, places the episode "in the context of the American-Iranian war" and cites US officials mentioning, according to CNN, at least two pumping stations being hit, with satellite images showing a plume of smoke stretching over 100 kilometers across the desert.

Riyadh has chosen restraint. According to TASS, the kingdom has decided not to respond to the "armed incursion" at the request of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, to support his efforts to stabilize the country. The Saudi statement, however, specifies that the kingdom "reserves the right to take all measures to protect its sovereignty, national security, and economic facilities".

Riyadh, September 13, 2026. The kingdom is exercising calculated caution after drone attacks targeted its strategic East-West oil pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions, causing injuries and material damage. The Saudi Ministry of Energy announced on Friday, September 11, 2026, the closure of the pipeline "as a precaution," until technical teams secure the facility and assess its condition according to approved emergency procedures. The scope of this shutdown is significant, as the Saudi press systematically recalls: since the outbreak of war between the United States and Iran and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Riyadh has been transporting around 5 million barrels per day, normally shipped from the Gulf via this pipeline to the port of Yanbu, on the Red Sea — its only strategic alternative to Hormuz.

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned the firing of several drones from Iraq, while specifying that "at the request of the Iraqi Prime Minister, the kingdom chooses not to respond at this stage and to support the efforts of the Iraqi government" to prevent Iraqi territory from being used as a base for attacks against the kingdom and its neighbors. Riyadh nonetheless recalls that it reserves the right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty, security, facilities, citizens, and residents.

Singapour, 13 September 2026. For the oil and maritime hub that is Singapour, the closure of the Saudi East-West oil pipeline is first and foremost a matter of dollars and barrels. The Straits Times recalls that this 1,200-kilometre pipeline, connecting Abqaiq to Yanbu on the Red Sea, carried "4 million to 5 million barrels per day", or 4 to 5% of the global supply, and was Saudi Arabia's last resort to bypass the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Its closure "as a precaution" after drone attacks from Iraq on Friday night has sent crude oil prices back above $100 per barrel, while Channel News Asia notes that retail diesel prices in the United States have "surged past a record US$6 a gallon".

The local press is emphasizing the mechanics of the escalation more than its actors: the attack coincided with the capture by the Houthis, allies of Iran, of the strategic island of Perim, at the entrance to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a double blow that the Straits Times describes as a "dangerous escalation". For an economy that thrives on transit and refining, this convergence of two chokepoints - Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb - weighs heavier than the identity of the attacker.

On the diplomatic front, Singapour is relaying the facts without commenting on them: Baghdad has confirmed that the drones came from the province of Maysan and dismissed its commander, Riyadh has said it does not want to respond to give Iraq time to act, and Donald Trump has deemed Iran "probably" responsible. The Straits Times also notes that Riyadh has requested military aid from Washington to counter the Houthis, a sign that the closure of the oil pipeline is part of a broader regional conflict, not just an isolated strike.

Washington, September 13, 2026. For the American press, the closure of the Saudi East-West oil pipeline is first seen on market screens. CNBC recalls that the barrel has exceeded $100 for the first time in months, ending the week with a gain of more than 8%, after drones launched from Iraq targeted the pipeline on Thursday morning in the regions of Riyadh and Medina, causing fires and injuries. Riyadh has closed this 1,200-kilometer artery with a capacity of 7 million barrels/day "as a precaution", which has been transporting between 4% and 5% of the world's oil supply to the Red Sea terminals in recent months, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz disrupted by the Iran-US war.

NBC News emphasizes that Riyadh has chosen not to retaliate "for now", at the request of the Iraqi Prime Minister, while reserving the right to protect its sovereignty, security, and critical infrastructure. Baghdad has confirmed that the drones came from its territory, dismissed the military commander of the Maysan province, and closed two border posts with Iran, according to NBC and ABC News. An Iranian-backed militia group has denied any involvement; Baghdad is maintaining the September 30 deadline set for non-state armed groups to surrender their arms.

The American narrative links the attack to a broader escalation: according to HuffPost and ABC News, Houthi rebels have taken advantage of the confusion to seize the island of Mayoun, a key to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait through which around 12% of global trade passes, opening a new front in the regional war. Bloomberg Economics warns that a prolonged disruption could further tighten the global energy supply and add pressure on American oil and diesel, a sign that Washington is viewing this crisis through its own energy bill. Donald Trump, when asked about his exchanges with the Saudi Crown Prince, attempted to reassure: "Everything will be fine." Aramco's CEO, Amin Nasser, had already emphasized last month that this pipeline weighs heavier than strategic reserves in absorbing shocks related to the war.

Johannesburg, September 13, 2026. Pretoria is already calculating the bill for a crisis unfolding thousands of kilometres away, but which directly affects the South African pump. The East-West Saudi oil pipeline, shut down after drone attacks on Friday night, transported between 4 and 5 million barrels per day to the Red Sea, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. Its closure, combined with the takeover on Friday by Houthi rebels of a strategic island in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait — a waterway through which around 12% of global trade passes —, has sent crude oil prices back above $100 per barrel.

For the South African economic press, which has largely reproduced the dispatches verbatim, the key issue is less the attack itself than its cascading repercussions on already inflated prices due to "six months of Iran-US war". The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, if it falls under Houthi control, could send global prices soaring, according to Business Day and TimesLIVE, which have run the same article.

Baghdad confirmed on Saturday that the drones had been launched from Iraqi territory, sacked a military commander, and promised an investigation, while setting September 30 as the deadline for non-state armed groups to surrender their arms — an ultimatum that several of the country's most powerful militias have already said they will not respect. A group of Iran-backed militias denied any involvement in the attack, while hailing the "continuous victories on the battlefield against Saudi forces" of the Houthis.