British maritime agency: Stalking and shooting incident in waters east of Aden, Yemen

Britain's Office of Maritime Trade Operations received a report that a ship had been followed and shot at 100 nautical miles east of Aden, Yemen, the first such report in the area for months.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations Office (UKMTO) said on Tuesday that the ship had been followed for about two hours by a number of small vessels, which also fired at them. The ship is now on its way to its next port of call and the crew is safe.

Britain's Office of Maritime Trade Action said an investigation was underway but did not disclose the name of the ship or the identity of the potential attackers.

Yemen's Iran-allied Houthis have launched more than 100 attacks on shipping since November in solidarity with Palestinians and against Israel's war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis have sunk two ships and hijacked another, killing at least four crew members and disrupting global shipping, forcing shippers to change routes to avoid attacks.

The Houthis have not commented on Tuesday's report from Britain's Office of Maritime Trade Operations.

The Houthis briefly halted attacks after a cease-fire between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip in January. However, the Houthis vowed in March to resume attacks on Israeli ships after Israel failed to lift its blockade of aid entering the Gaza Strip. After the United States launched its largest and deadliest military operation in Yemen since Trump took office, the Houthis also vowed to continue attacking ships.