The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said on Thursday it had received a report of an explosion near a vessel 85 nautical miles east of Yemen's port city of Aden.

"The crew and the vessel are reported safe and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call," the UKMTO added. 

Yemen's Houthis have launched repeated drone and missile attacks against international commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait since mid-November. The group has said it is only targeting Israel-linked ships in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

The attacks have prompted several companies to halt Red Sea journeys and opt for a longer and more expensive route around Africa, and U.S. and British warplanes have carried out retaliatory strikes across Yemen.

(With input from Reuters)