The stranglehold tightens: Tehran closes in on Saudi oil from sea and land

Iran and its allies are increasing pressure on Saudi oil export routes: disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Houthi takeover of key points in Bab el-Mandeb, and damage to the East-West oil pipeline from drones launched from Iraq. Saudi Arabia shuts down the pipeline, oil exports to Asia plummet, and Brent crude crosses $100 per barrel. Trump blames Iran, but Washington refuses direct military action.

Iran and its allies are simultaneously increasing pressure on three major Saudi oil export routes, creating an almost complete stranglehold on Riyadh. From the east, Iran is disrupting traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. From the southwest, the Houthis have taken control of the port city of Mokha and Mayyun Island in Bab el-Mandeb, threatening shipping in the Red Sea. Now the land route has also been hit: the East-West oil pipeline, about 1,200 kilometers long with a capacity of around seven million barrels per day, was shut down after several explosive drones struck its facilities in the Riyadh and Medina areas. The drones were launched from Maysan Province in southern Iraq, near the Iranian border, an area where Shiite militias backed by Tehran operate. US President Donald Trump pointed a finger of blame at Iran but did not present evidence. The Saudis requested American military assistance, but Washington made clear it is not ready for direct action, agreeing only to intelligence support. Saudi oil exports to Asia fell from about 3.4 million barrels per day in June to just 128,000 in August. Saudi oil output dropped in August to about six million barrels per day, the lowest level in more than three decades. Brent crude crossed the $100 per barrel threshold, and energy market analysts warn that further escalation could push it toward $120.