Recent satellite images suggest a potential new attack on a crucial Saudi oil pipeline that runs adjacent to a highly disputed waterway.
An Iranian account, known as hormuzletter, shared Sentinel-3 satellite images on X, indicating a smoke plume nearly 100 kilometers long along the East-West pipeline, located in the desert area between Medina and Mahd adh Dhahab.
According to data from NASA FIRMS, heat readings were recorded at levels exceeding 70 megawatts—more than double typical fire activity—over a section shorter than 10 kilometers, with the blaze lasting for at least eight hours, as noted in the X post. (RELATED: Saudi Arabia Vows Retaliation After Iran-Backed Houthis Attack Oil Facilities)
Neither Aramco nor the Saudi energy ministry, along with major news agencies, have confirmed any damage to the pipeline, as indicated by InvestingLive. This financial news outlet looked at a second set of satellite images comparing those taken on September 9 and September 10. On Thursday, oil traders were evaluating one verified maritime attack near Oman while considering the unverified claims about the pipeline.
BREAKING: Yemen’s Houthis might have directly struck Saudi Arabia’s East-West crude oil pipeline in the desert southeast of Medina. Sentinel-3 satellite imagery from today shows a massive black smoke plume nearly 100 km long over the pipeline route, stretching across the desert… pic.twitter.com/voBF84G6NJ
— The Hormuz Letter (@HormuzLetter) September 10, 2026
This week, Iran-aligned Houthi fighters targeted Aramco facilities with drones and missiles, resulting in 73 injuries. The Saudi energy ministry has halted operations at several sites while teams worked to manage the fires, according to reports from Quartz. Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed that his forces struck oil and economic installations in locations such as Abha, Jazan, Najran, and Khamis Mushait.
The East-West pipeline, or Petroline, transports crude oil approximately 1,200 kilometers from the Eastern Province to Yanbu on the Red Sea. This route provides Riyadh with its primary bulk export option that circumvents the Strait of Hormuz, which is facing significant blockages, as mentioned by InvestingLive.
This week, Brent crude oil prices rose by 1.67% to $98.61 per barrel as it continues its ascent towards the $100 mark, according to Quartz.
In the past, Houthi forces have attacked Jizan and Yanbu, with strikes occurring in July and later in August, as reported by OilPrice.com. Despite a decrease in refinery output, Saudi Arabia has been directing more crude toward Yanbu. Officials from Saudi Arabia are in discussions with U.S. Central Command regarding potential retaliatory actions, as indicated by CNN.
