by WorldTribune Staff, September 16, 2026 Non-AI Real World News
Global oil prices surged past $108 per barrel after attacks by Iran-backed terror proxies on energy infrastructure, in particular a key Saudi pipeline.
Satellite imagery showed damage from attacks on a key Saudi oil pipeline.
In an update on Monday, the Saudis said the pipeline will be mostly offline for weeks following the drone strikes.
For Americans, “the oil transshipment slowdown could add anywhere from 10 cents to 25 cents at the pump, which could play a role in supply chain costs and public perception of the economy ahead of the election,” RedState’s Kyle Becker reported.
“The Iranians apparently want to impose as much as economic pressure on Americans as possible ahead of the elections in order to coax Donald Trump to back off the military strikes.”
Trump tried to ease worries in a series of post’s to Truth Social, writing:
“I hope everyone realizes that price increases throughout America were caused by Sleepy Joe Biden and the Biden Administration, not by ‘TRUMP.’ Even Oil was higher under Biden than it is right now, and we prevented Iran from having a Nuclear Weapon! With the temporary exception of Oil, prices are coming down sharply, and Oil will drop like a rock as soon as the Military Conflict with Iran is over, and that will not be long. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
“Oil is flowing through the Hormuz Strait. The Countries of the World, which have been no help to us whatsoever, should, and will, reimburse the United States of America when this SCAM Confligration is all over. We are doing it much more for others, than we are for ourselves, and we have been for Generations! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
“The failing Nation of Iran wants to make a deal, quickly and badly. I will determine whether or not the U.S.A. will choose to engage – The concept of which we are open to. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
The Yemen-based Houthis fired dozens of missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid airbase in Khamis Mushait, calling it retaliation for more than 300 Saudi airstrikes on Yemen in five days.
A Friday drone attack Riyadh blamed on Iran-backed fighters in Iraq knocked out Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, the kingdom’s only route around the blockaded Strait of Hormuz.
The 7-million-barrel-a-day line feeds the Red Sea port of Yanbu, with traders telling Reuters its closure could cut off up to 4% of global oil supply if it stays down. Yanbu has five to seven days of oil left, unnamed sources told Reuters, and at least four Asian refiners have received no word on loading schedules at a port that normally moves 4 million barrels a day.
Becker noted: “Whether the Republican Party likes it or not, the upcoming election in some ways is shaping up to be a referendum on how much the American people really support the ongoing war in Iran.”
