₦airaland Forum

Satellite images show extent of damage to major Saudi pipeline, amid global oil supply fears

Saudis yet to provide details about damage from drone attack to key east-west pipeline to Red Sea that could affect 4% of global oil supply

Mark Saunokonoko and agencies
Mon 14 Sep 2026

Saudi Arabia will run out of oil ⁠stocks for export if it ⁠doesn’t restart a drone-damaged major ​pipeline to the Red Sea within days, leading to the loss of up to 4% of global supply, Saudi oil buyers and traders said.

Satellite photos released on Sunday night appeared to show a pumping station on the key 1,200km (745-mile) Saudi east-west pipeline charred and badly damaged, after drone attacks on Friday.

A further decline in oil flow from Saudi Arabia, the world largest oil exporter, will worsen the ⁠global supply crunch, which has already pushed global fuel prices to record highs and spurred inflation around the world.

The news comes as Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi forces have launched attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia and captured the strategic island of Perim in the Bab al-Mandab strait, expanding their control of the narrow waterway.

On Sunday, the international oil benchmark, Brent crude, rose more than 3.4% to $108 per barrel, a level not seen since May.

Since the drone attacks forced the shutdown of the pipeline, Riyadh has yet to provide full details about the extent of the damage or how long the ​route will stay offline. The Saudis blamed the attack on drones launched by militants in Iraq.


Sources that spoke to Reuters gave varying estimates, ‌with one saying the damage could take ‌up to six weeks to repair, while another said it could be fixed sooner and could resume pumping partially while ‌repairs are ongoing.

Saudi Arabia’s government media office and energy ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to the Associated Press said the pipeline would be mostly out of service for weeks.


For the past six months, the pipeline running through the desert across the Arabian Peninsula has spared Saudi Arabia from the brunt of the impact of the wartime shutdown of the strait of Hormuz that has crippled exports from its neighbours.

The world’s biggest exporter has used the pipeline to reroute around 4m barrels per day – about 4% of global supply – to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea.

But with the ‌pipeline out of service, Yanbu now has stocks to maintain exports for just five to seven days, according to three industry sources familiar with Saudi exports.

Saudi Arabia also has stocks to supply customers for several days from ​Egypt’s ports of Ain Sukhna on the Red Sea and Sidi Kerir on the Mediterranean, a fourth source said.

Stocks are not full and will ultimately run out without the east-west pipeline resuming operations, the four sources said.


As the price of oil climbed, hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough in the near term faded when Oman’s foreign minister, Sayyid Badr Albusaidi, posted late Sunday that a regional meeting scheduled for Monday had been postponed “in the interests of consensus”.

Iranian officials had said they would attend that gathering with Gulf Arab states to present ⁠an agreement with Oman on governing shipping routes through the strait of Hormuz.

The strait was free to transit before the war, but Iran now requires vessels to obtain permission and is considering a mechanism to impose service fees.

The disruptions to crude has driven up prices across refined derivatives such as petrol and diesel. Diesel prices in the US hit a record on Friday, soaring past $6 a gallon on average.

The Houthis are targeting Saudi oil infrastructure and shipping as part of a recently declared blockade. Recent advances by the Iran-aligned group puts them closer to a major US base in Djibouti.

The spiralling conflict in the Middle East is now in its seventh month, after US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on 28 February and Donald Trump declared the war would finished in four to six weeks.

ForensicAngel1:
As long as Allahkubar dey fight themselves I am happy

I don't know why cement head floggers can't live in peace

FreeStuffsNG:
Smh. You are so naive and ignorant about the real implications of the war.

The beating Saudi Arabia is being targeted at US. The $4 trillion contract signed with Trump and billions of dollars of US weapons and investments are being blown to smithereens!

Dozens of aircraft, hundreds of buildings: US loss to Iran attacks revealed

By Yashraj Sharma
A Pentagon watchdog has revealed the United States lost dozens of aircraft and hundreds of structures used by the US were damaged or destroyed by Iranian attacks during the conflict.

The report published on Monday by the Department of Defense inspector general offers the first official account of the losses Washington has incurred in the war from February 28 to June 30.

Throughout the war – beginning with the US-Israel attacks on Iran in late February – Tehran has routinely bombed US bases and assets in the Gulf region. For most of those attacks, Gulf countries and Washington said the incoming strikes had been intercepted and thwarted.

But the Pentagon’s report paints a picture of significant damage and losses running into millions of dollars to US forces.

FreeStuffsNG:
UPDATE: Oil loadings suspended at Saudi port of Yanbu: Report

Shipping sources cited by Reuters say that oil loadings have stopped at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu.

The development comes four days after a drone attack on Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, which supplies oil from the country’s east to the port, forced the country to halt operations at the pipeline.

Saudi Arabia is so vulnerable yet grandstanding! In less than a week, Yemeni armed forces have desteoyed Saudi Arabia's economic lifeline! Smh.

ForensicAngel1:
As long as Allahkubar dey fight themselves I am happy

I don't know why cement head floggers can't live in peace

FSBoperator:
Iran has warned the Saudis that any US attack using Saudi airspace will be met by total destruction of Saudi ARAMCO facilities

FreeStuffsNG:
UPDATE: Oil loadings suspended at Saudi port of Yanbu: Report

Shipping sources cited by Reuters say that oil loadings have stopped at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu.

The development comes four days after a drone attack on Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, which supplies oil from the country’s east to the port, forced the country to halt operations at the pipeline.

Saudi Arabia is so vulnerable yet grandstanding! In less than a week, Yemeni armed forces have desteoyed Saudi Arabia's economic lifeline! Smh.

Mattswaggz:
things like these are the reasons why terrorism needs to be dealt with immensely......let the world bear with the increase in energy prices while the means to deal with them is being put to place because we can't have some dvmb heads keep the world hostage because they think they can....appease them or try the negotiate with them and they'll do worst next time.

FSBoperator:
When I created a thread about this incidence as it was occuring 3days ago, the zioMazzi crew were all over that thread calling it fake news.

I wonder how zioMazzis are now supporting Saudi just because of Israel.

meobizy:
I will never understand how these affect us when we produce our own oil.

omenka:
This is by far the dumbest thing I've ever seen a biological matter say. It doesnt even realise this war in Iran is the major reason prices are spiralling out of control in Nigeria.

FreeStuffsNG:
I agree and that is why Trump and Netanyahu must be arrested and prosecuted!

ForensicAngel1:
Allah fighting Allah has to be one of the funniest bomb jokes I have seen so far 😂😂

Guess what,the infidel Israel and USA are the ones protecting Allah black box in mecca