The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said in an alert that an attack "consisting of what is believed to be two missiles" caused damage to a vessel approximately 14 nautical miles (26 kilometers) southwest of Al Mukha, Yemen. According to the UKMTO, the ship's master also reported an initial explosion near the vessel that was felt by the crew. The Houthis have not yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but in the past two days they have claimed responsibility for several attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, US warships and the southern Israeli city of Eilat. The Houthis have stepped up their attacks after several weeks of inactivity and at a time of maximum tension in the Middle East, in the face of an imminent Israeli ground operation in Rafah, at the southern end of the Gaza Strip, where there are more than 1.4 million displaced people, in addition to the escalation of violence between Israel and Iran. The Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels have been attacking commercial vessels since November 19 in support of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, to harm Israel with actions that cause serious disruptions in the Red Sea, through which about 15% of the world's maritime trade transits. Despite US and UK bombings of their positions in Yemen to cripple their military capabilities, the Houthis have warned that they will not stop their attacks until a ceasefire is implemented in the Gaza Strip. Read Also: Hutis contabilizam quase 100 navios atacados no Mar Vermelho (Portuguese version)