Loud bang heard and smoke seen in sea southwest of Yemen's Aden, UKMTO reports

A ship's captain reported hearing a loud bang and seeing a splash and smoke coming from the sea on Thursday around 15 nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni port of Aden, Britain's maritime agency said.

The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) added that the crew and vessel were safe and military authorities were supporting it. Yemeni Houthi militants have been attacking ships in the Red Sea since November in what they say is a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

The Houthis said on Wednesday they had carried out three military operations in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.