Yemen is officials said on Monday Al-Qaida bombed the gas pipeline in shabwa province in what seemed to be retaliation for the expanded military operations against militants in this province and Abyan.

The pipeline was blasted in Maifa, not far from the Balhaf Liquefaction plant on the Gulf of Aden, they added.

The attack on the 38-inch pipeline, which transports natural gas from Marib to the plant, was the third in the past few months. On April 26, Yemen LNG, the operator of the Balhaf terminal, confirmed a sabotage attack on the pipeline forcing an immediate shutdown of the plant.

It was also attacked on March 30 and Al-Qaida claimed responsibility for the April and March attacks in retaliation for drone strikes killing its members.

The army has fiercely fought the militants and on Saturday the military operations were expanded to retake key towns which held by Al-Qaida last year. Hundreds of militants have been killed and injured in the battles so far.

Attacks on oil and gas pipeline are repeatedly reported by the authorities, which struggle to protect key oil and gas projects in tribal areas.

The Balhaf LNG project is operated by several shareholders including Total, which has the largest interest, about 39.62%. The Yemeni government has shares through two local companies.