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Saudi Arabia has restarted its strategic East-West Pipeline and crude exports from the Red Sea port of Yanbu are expected to resume Tuesday, according to three sources briefed on the matter by Reuters.
The pipeline — a 1,200-kilometer artery crossing the Arabian Peninsula — was taken offline after Houthi drone strikes damaged two of its 11 pumping stations earlier this month. Pumping stations eight and nine were struck in the attack, which Saudi officials have attributed to Iraq-based actors. Reuters placed the shutdown on September 13; Bloomberg reported the initial strike occurred September 10.
Flows have resumed at a reduced rate, two sources confirmed, with Saudi Aramco working to bring Yanbu loadings back online during the week. Bloomberg separately confirmed the pipeline was being tested for return to service. Saudi Aramco and the Saudi oil ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
The East-West Pipeline has become increasingly critical to Saudi Arabia's export infrastructure since the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed by the ongoing Iran war. With Persian Gulf tanker routes disrupted, the Red Sea terminal at Yanbu has served as one of the few remaining viable outlets for Saudi crude. Industry assessments put the pipeline's capacity at between 4 million and 5 million barrels per day — roughly 4 to 5 percent of global oil supply.
The revival of Yanbu exports comes as global energy markets remain on edge. Brent crude has traded above $100 per barrel amid the prolonged Hormuz closure, and any restoration of Saudi export capacity is expected to provide modest downward pressure on prices.
The attack on the East-West Pipeline represents a significant escalation in Houthi targeting strategy. Previous strikes focused primarily on Red Sea shipping and Israeli-linked vessels. Targeting Saudi Arabia's overland pipeline infrastructure signals an attempt to close off the kingdom's last major export alternative, tightening the energy vice on global markets at a moment of maximum strategic pressure.
