DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — Explosions were reported near a ship east of the Yemeni port city of Aden on Friday, Britain’s maritime safety agency UKMTO said.

The agency, which did not identify the vessel, said the ship was able to continue its journey and “the crew are reported safe.”

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been targeting vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November 2023 in attacks they say are in solidarity with Palestinians fighting against Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip.

The rebel attacks have prompted reprisal strikes by United States and British forces and the formation of an international coalition to protect the vital shipping lanes through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.

The US military said Thursday that it had destroyed four Houthi nautical drones and two aerial ones over the Red Sea off Yemen.

Washington also called on the Houthis to release humanitarian workers detained earlier this month.