Saudi Arabia has shut down its critical 745-mile east-west pipeline following a drone attack originating from Iraq, disrupting one of the kingdom's primary crude oil export routes. The pipeline normally transports approximately 4 million barrels of crude daily to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, and its closure has immediately triggered concerns about global oil supply stability.

The pipeline shutdown coincides with broader regional instability, including Houthi-aligned forces seizing the strategic Perim Island in the Bab al-Mandab strait. These developments have sent oil markets into flux, with prices climbing above $108 per barrel as traders react to the threatened disruption of critical energy and shipping infrastructure in one of the world's most strategically important regions.