ADEN (Reuters) - Unknown assailants blew up Yemen's main oil pipeline again on Tuesday night, an oil industry source said on Wednesday.

Yemen's oil and gas pipelines have been repeatedly sabotaged since anti-government protests created a power vacuum in 2011, causing fuel shortages and slashing export earnings for the impoverished country.

The source said the latest attackers detonated an explosives charge beneath the pipeline in Sirwah area in Maarib province late on Tuesday.

"The explosion set the pipeline on fire and caused a leak," the source said.

The blast stopped flows from the Maarib fields to the Ras Isa oil terminal on the Red Sea, from which crude is shipped to Yemen's main refinery in Aden.

Oil sources said repair teams were being deployed to the area on Wednesday to fix the pipeline which was also bombed in February and January.

The pipeline used to carry around 110,000 bpd of Marib light crude to Ras Isa, but Yemen said in December that oil was being pumped through the pipeline at a rate of around 70,000 barrels per day (bpd).

A long closure of the supply line last year forced the Aden refinery to shut, leaving the small oil producer dependent on fuel donations from Saudi Arabia and on costly imports.

(Reporting By Mohammed Mukhashaf, writing by Sami Aboudi, editing by Daniel Fineren)

• Travel Picks: Top 10 golf resorts around the world
• Chinese premier criticizes EU move on trade measures
• Justice Department opposes AMR's $20 million severance for CEO Horton
• News Corp to take charge of up to $1.4 billion this quarter
• Wall Street Week Ahead: Investors look for signs in the rally's break
• Unhappy with how your fave series is faring? Amazon gives you a say
• Visa, Mastercard ask U.S. court to declare card fees are lawful
• Wall Street posts first weekly loss since mid-April on Fed angst
• IMF's Lagarde escapes formal investigation in court
• Politics of development pays dividend
• A thematic play seen
• Sarawak counters hogging the limelight
• Getting GST acceptance will be tough
• A yen for the unloved dollar standard
• Bitten by the music bug

• After Kabul attacks, 10,000 peace balloons
• Report: Google eyes emerging markets networks
• IMF chief avoids charges in French payout scandal
• Seven months after Sandy, New York beaches re-open

• Make betting legal, says top Indian body
• NBA: Pacers edge Heat to even series
• Arat: Istanbul bid to host the 2020 Olympic is about building bridges
• Golf: Two share lead at inaugural rain-hit Pure Silk LPGA
• Golf: Kuchar leads weather-hit Colonial
• Squash: Matthew offers a message with a warning
• Golf: Molinari leads but Ryder Cup colleagues crash out
• Tennis: Djokovic blocks Nadal path to Paris super eight
• MSSM meet: 15 records in five days augur well for M’sian athletics
• Indonesian Rexy's advise to M'sian team: Stick together as a family
• Yongbo: Beat us if you can, not good for China to win all the time
• Thai Ratchanok wins many hearts with her gritty display
• Squash:M'sian Nicol beats New Zealander in straight sets to reach last four
• Basketball: Warriors have no problem taming Dragons in Jakarta
• National hockey juniors fare badly in tourney

• Please wait.

• Living through your midlife
• Malaysia a favourite of Muslim travellers
• Who has the better chance of bagging that high-salary post?
• Sarawak counters hogging the limelight
• Klang Valley a haven for UOA Dev
• Painting of merry old couple covered up to prevent accident at Chew Jetty
• More can be done to promote private retirement scheme
• Politics of development pays dividend
• Ex-steward gets to set aside default judgment
• Robber shot dead after picking on wrong ‘victim’