Explosion reported near commercial ship off Yemen coast

ADEN, Yemen -- The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has issued a warning after receiving a report of an explosion in the vicinity of a commercial ship transiting off the coast of Yemen on Monday.

According to the report from the UKMTO, the master of the unnamed ship reported hearing the sound of an explosion approximately 71 nautical miles southwest of the port city of Saleef in Yemen.

While the ship and crew are reported to be safe, the cause of the explosion remains unknown at this time. The US-led coalition forces operating in the region have launched an investigation into the incident.

No group has claimed responsibility for the incident yet.

Since November, the Houthis have increasingly targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, which they claim is in retaliation for Israeli strikes in Gaza.

In response, the United States and Britain launched air and missile strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen starting in mid-January. However, rather than deterring or degrading the rebels' capabilities, these strikes appear to have prompted further escalation from the Houthi forces.