The Iraqi government announced Saturday it has opened an investigation and dismissed two senior officials after Iran-backed militias were accused of launching drone attacks on a major Saudi Arabian oil pipeline. Saudi Arabia closed the East-West pipeline on Friday as a precautionary measure, stating that the drones originated from Iraqi territory.
The incident occurs amid a period of heightened regional tension involving a six-month conflict between the U.S. and Iran. In Yemen, Houthi rebels recently seized an island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi stated Saturday that he had ordered an investigation into the operations command of Maysan province, which borders Iran, and dismissed the province’s commander and police chief.
An umbrella group of Iran-backed militias in Iraq denied involvement in the pipeline strikes but expressed support for Houthi military actions against Saudi Arabia. In a move possibly related to the investigation, Iraq closed two border crossings with Iran, Shalamcheh and Chazabeh, halting all passenger and commercial traffic. Saudi Arabia stated it would not retaliate at this time to allow Iraq to take "necessary measures."
The Iraqi government is under pressure to manage its internal security as it faces a Sept. 30 deadline for nonstate groups to disarm. Powerful militias, including those backed by Iran, have stated they will not comply. Regional officials reported that Saudi and U.S. forces previously bombed these militias in July following earlier drone attacks. The escalating conflict also threatens to end a truce in Yemen that has been in place since 2022, potentially affecting 40 million people.
The situation further complicates global shipping logistics through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a passage for 12% of global trade. The U.S. military on Saturday said its forces had redirected 100 commercial vessels in the last 60 days. U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday he believes Iran was "probably" responsible for the pipeline attack but stated his administration has had discussions with the Houthis. A regional meeting between Gulf foreign ministers is scheduled for Monday to discuss shipping management.