CAIRO (AP) — Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels captured a strategic island at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, two officials said Friday, opening a new front in the Iran war and further threatening oil exports from Saudi Arabia, which shut down a major pipeline after it was attacked.

Fire and smoke can be seen coming from Saudi Arabia's main East-West oil pipeline after a suspected strike by Houthi militants, who have been attacking the kingdom, according to reports citing video and satellite imagery.

The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have launched attacks on Saudi Arabia, wounding over 70 people and igniting fires at oil facilities.

Pakistan faces growing pressure to honour its Saudi defence commitments while keeping diplomatic channels to Iran open.

Sept 9 (Reuters) - The Houthis attacked the southern Saudi cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait and Jazan with ballistic missiles and drones on Wednesday, a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said, marking the second consecutive day of Houthi attacks on the kingdom.

The images show smoke in the vicinity of Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline, through which the country has been rerouting exports.

A Houthi advance along Yemen's Red Sea coast could help push gas prices up even more as the Iran-backed group also launches attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said Wednesday that Saudi-backed forces had launched dozens of airstrikes overnight across four Yemeni provinces after rebel attacks on Saudi Arabia ignited fires at several oil facilities and wounded dozens of people.