Iraq probes drone strikes on Saudi Arabia, shuts three crossings to Iran

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkA handout satellite image from Copernicus Sentinel Data taken on September 10, 2016, shows black smoke billowing over the desert southeast of Medina along the general route of Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline [Petroline via AFP]By Al Jazeera StaffPublished On 12 Sep 202612 Sep 2026Iraq has closed some border crossings with Iran while investigating drone attacks on Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline that it confirms were launched from its territory.The Iraqi government temporarily closed three of its crossings into Iran after drone launch sites were discovered in the country, an Iraqi security source told Al Jazeera on Saturday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Trump: Iran probably ‘behind’ Saudi oil pipeline attacklist 2 of 3Iran-backed Houthis seize strategic Mayun Island: Can they hold it?list 3 of 3Will the Houthi attacks activate the Mecca Pact?end of listReporting from Baghdad, Al Jazeera’s Jack Hewson listed the closed crossings as: Shalamcheh in Basra province, al-Shib in Maysan province, and Mandali in the province of Diyala. He said that Iraq had primarily ordered the closure of the crossings over fears that the perpetrators of attacks could flee to Iran.Hewson also said the al-Tayyib border area of the southeastern province of Maysan had been shut after drone launchers were discovered there, and a search operation was under way.Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi meanwhile approved a request by Iran to conduct a joint investigation into the discovery of drone launch platforms near the border, according to a statement on Saturday by Sabah al-Numan, spokesman for the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi armed forces.The statement did not provide further details regarding where the drones were found or how many there were.However, earlier, the prime minister’s office said the attack was launched from Maysan province, and al-Zaidi dismissed the military commander there. No group claimed responsibilityThe attack on the East-West oil pipeline took place on Thursday, with Saudi Arabia announcing it was temporarily suspending the route as a “precautionary measure” the following day.On Friday, Riyadh said the drones were launched from Iraq, where Iran commands significant influence, including over armed groups. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed fighters, said in a statement that the attack was “an honour that we do not claim”.However, Riyadh has previously accused Iran-linked groups in Iraq of targeting its oil infrastructure.United States President Donald Trump, who is currently in Ireland on an unofficial visit, said Tehran was “probably” behind the attacks on the pipeline. Trump did not provide any evidence to support those allegations.The temporary suspension of the pipeline is a significant blow to Saudi Arabia. The route was Riyadh’s only major alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, which remains partially closed as the US and Iran wrestle for control of the strategic waterway. Without the pipeline, Riyadh has no feasible way to export its oil on a significant scale until the suspension is lifted or Hormuz is officially reopened.A further decrease in oil exports from the Gulf could push wholesale prices higher, while potentially increasing Iran’s leverage as the US-Israeli war on the country nears the seven-month mark.The attacks on the pipeline came amid a lightning offensive by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, who have seized the country’s entire Red Sea coastline after defeating the armed forces of the internationally recognised government. Riyadh is the government’s main supporter, and the Houthis have since declared that ships belonging to Saudi Arabia will not be allowed to pass through the Red Sea.