Listen to this articleDear 5 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated using AI-based technology. Pronunciation errors may occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve results. Iraq’s government rushed Saturday to contain the fallout after local Iranian-backed militias were accused of attacking and shutting down a key Saudi oil pipeline. Although an Iranian-backed militia group in Iraq denied involvement, the Iraqi government confirmed that the attacks had originated on its territory. The government promised to investigate and dismissed a military commander. The country is under increasing pressure to prevent local militias from helping other Iran proxy groups across the region. The Iraqi government has set a September 30 deadline for non-state groups to disarm, but several of the most powerful militias have said they will not comply. Pressure to disarm militias is especially acute as Iran-backed Houthi rebels advance across Yemen’s western coast in a major setback for the Saudi-backed coalition that risks escalating the war in the region. On Friday, the Houthis seized an island in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key shipping route through which about 12 percent of global trade passes. Its virtual control of the strait could send global oil prices, already inflated by the six-month war between Iran and the United States, soaring. The strait has become a vital trade route for Saudi oil since the Iran war disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Asked about the region on Saturday while speaking to reporters in Dublin, US President Donald Trump said Iran was “probably” responsible for the pipeline attack, but sought to calm concerns. He said his administration has “held talks” with the Houthis, although he did not specify what talks he was referring to. “The Houthis called us and they don’t want to fight us,” Trump said. “They would much rather not have us involved, and they are letting most of the boats through.” Iraq to investigate attack on Saudi oil pipeline An Iranian-backed militia group in Iraq denied in a statement Saturday that they were responsible for the attacks on the East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia, while praising the Houthis for their “ongoing battlefield victories against Saudi forces.” The group said it would cooperate with the Iraqi government’s investigation. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said earlier on Saturday that he had ordered an investigation into the operations command of Maysan province, along the border with Iran, and dismissed the province’s commander. Saudi Arabia closed the main oil pipeline through the country on Friday, calling it a “precautionary measure” after the pipeline was attacked by drones. He blamed the attacks on several drones originating from Iraq, but said the kingdom would not retaliate, to give the Iraqi government “the opportunity to take necessary measures.” Several Arab countries, including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Egypt, condemned the attack on Saturday, according to the Saudi state news agency. Built in the 1980s, the East-West pipeline has played a major role in Saudi Arabia’s ability to export oil following the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran War. By early June, Saudi Arabia had more than doubled oil exports from the Red Sea port at the end of the pipeline to more than five million barrels a day, according to the International Energy Agency. Iraqi militias backed by Tehran have carried out attacks against US-linked targets both inside and outside Iraq since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, and have coordinated with Yemen’s Houthi rebels to attack Saudi Arabia. Iraq closes border crossings with Iran in move Possibly related to the investigation, Iraq closed two key border crossings with Iran, Iraq’s state news agency reported Saturday. The report said Iraqi officials were at the border, investigating previous “violations and infractions” at the crossings. Valiollah Hayati, deputy governor of Khuzestan province in southwestern Iran, named the closed crossings Shalamcheh and Chazabeh. They are among the main official border crossings between Iran and Iraq. Iranian state media said the move would halt all commercial and passenger traffic through the two crossings until further notice. Saudi Arabia and the United States bombed Iranian-backed militias in Iraq in July after blaming them for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities that had been claimed by the Houthis. Regional officials told The Associated Press that the Houthis helped Iraqi militias plan and carry out the attacks. Fighting threatens to reignite Yemen civil war The escalation of fighting threatens to end a fragile truce that had largely halted Yemen’s civil war since 2022. At stake are 40 million people in the Arab world’s poorest country. The conflict killed 150,000 people and brought many others to the brink of famine. Increasing fighting over the past week has forced more than 46,000 people to flee, the United Nations migration agency said Friday. The Houthis have been at war with Yemen’s government since 2014, when the rebels seized much of northern and central Yemen and the capital, Sana’a. Saudi Arabia entered the war the following year on the government’s side.
