Singapore: A Singapore-flagged ship was damaged in an attack by suspected Houthi militants southeast of Yemen on Friday, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said in a statement.

According to the MPA, it was informed that the container ship LOBIVIA was hit by “unidentified projectiles” while sailing through the Gulf of Aden, resulting in a fire on board which was subsequently extinguished by the crew.

There are no Singaporeans among the crew, Channel News Asia reported, quoting authorities as saying all crew members are present and safe.

Despite the impact, the ship was able to sail and arrived at Berbera port in Somalia. Damage assessment and repairs, if necessary, will be carried out, the company said.

MPA said it is in contact with the ship’s manager to provide any assistance required. The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has also alerted its security partners in the Gulf of Aden region to provide assistance, it added.

In a televised speech, Houthi army spokesman Yahya Sarea said the group had fired ballistic missiles and drones at the LOBIVIA.

According to United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, the LOBIVIA was hit twice by two missiles approximately 83 nautical miles southeast of the port city of Aden in Yemen.

“The ship was sailing northeast along the Gulf of Aden when a nearby merchant ship reported ‘lights and explosions’ where the ship was,” Channel News Asia quoted British security firm Ambrey as saying.

According to Ambrey, the ship appeared to immediately take evasive action and about an hour later turned off its automatic identification system.

Since November, Houthi militants in Yemen have carried out drone and missile attacks on shipping lanes in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The group has said its actions are in solidarity with Palestinians affected by Israel’s war in Gaza.

The group has sunk two ships and seized another, killed at least three crew members and severely disrupted global trade by forcing ship owners to avoid the Suez Canal route.

On Tuesday, the Liberian-flagged oil tanker Chios Lion was forced to turn back to assess damage and investigate a possible oil spill after it was attacked by the group in the Red Sea. Britain and the US have carried out retaliatory strikes since February, shooting down drones and bombing attack sites in Yemen.