Saudi Arabia on Friday moved to halt a key oil pipeline used to bypass the Strait of Hormuz after Iranian-backed Houthi militants launched a series of attacks the day prior, dealing another blow to the kingdom’s ability to move oil.

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

The strikes on the East-West oil pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina areas (pictured) deal a further blow to global trade.

The Houthis' tightening grip on the Red Sea chokepoint is the biggest setback for Saudi Arabia and Yemen's internationally recognized Presidential Leadership Council since the Yemen conflict began in 2014. A UN-brokered truce in April 2022 marked the start of a fragile peace that now lies in tatters.

Yemen’s government accuses Houthis of killing 3 children as rebels claim Saudi forces launched 54 air raids in 12 hours.

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

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.

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