UKMTO says projectile falls near vessel off Yemen amid Houthi attacks

A projectile has fallen into the Red Sea near a vessel off Yemen, where the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists have been launching attacks on shipping since the start of Israel's war in Gaza, a British maritime agency said on Thursday.

The vessel and crew were safe and proceeding to their next port of call, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency, which received a report of the incident 178 nautical miles (330 kilometres) northwest of the port of Hodeidah. It did not specify when the attack occurred.

The Houthis have reserved the right to attack ships with any ties to Israel passing through the Red Sea, in what they describe as an act of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.

They have also been launching missiles and drones towards Israel, though few have reached their targets. Israel has retaliated by bombing Yemen, and last week killed the Houthi prime minister.

The attacks have disrupted trade flows through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, one of the world's busiest shipping routes.

(Reporting by Nayera Abdallah and Jana Choukeir; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Kevin Liffey)