The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO), said Thursday that it had received a report about an explosion near a ship 82 nautical mile northwest of Yemen’s Hodeidah. This is the latest attack reported on shipping in Red Sea.

UKMTO updated its advisory note to say that the captain of a commercial vessel reported a small explosion near his vessel. No damage was reported, and all crew members were unharmed.

UKMTO said that the vessel was proceeding to its next port.

Since November, Houthis have repeatedly used drones and missiles to strike ships in critical shipping channels of Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab strait and Gulf of Aden.

It has caused shippers to redirect cargo on longer, more expensive trips around southern Africa. This has also stoked concerns that the Israel-Hamas conflict could spread to the Middle East and destabilise it.

The Houthi militia which controls most of Yemen, and is aligned to Iran, claims it is fighting in solidarity with Palestinians (Reporting and editing by Nayera Abadallah, Clauda Tanias, Yomna ehab, and Enas Alashray).