The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) organization said an explosion was reported at a distance from a vessel's starboard side west of Yemen's Hodeidah.

UKMTO said the vessel and crew are safe.

Residents said the Houthis fired a missile from a camp in the Houthi-controlled Ibb city in central Yemen toward the sea.

The Houthis, who control the most populated parts of Yemen, have launched a wave of exploding drones and missiles at commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in recent weeks, calling it a response to Israel's military operations in Gaza and a show of solidarity with Palestinians.

The U.S. and the UK last month launched strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen and re-added the militia to a list of "terrorist groups."

Earlier on Thursday, the UKMTO also said it received a report regarding an incident 57 nautical miles west of Yemen's Hodeidah port, and the authorities are investigating the incident.

(With input from Reuters)