Sanaa, June 26: Yemen's Houthi group has claimed responsibility for launching a missile attack against an "Israeli" ship in the Arabian Sea. 

"The (Houthi) naval forces carried out a qualitative military operation targeting the Israeli ship, MSC SARAH V, in the Arabian Sea, and the hit was accurate and direct," Yahya Sarea, the Houthi military spokesman, said in a statement aired on Tuesday by the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

The attack was carried out with "a new ballistic missile" deployed after successful experimental operations, Sarea said, adding that the missile showcased its ability to hit targets accurately and over long distances, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Houthi group would "continue to develop their military capabilities ... to support the Palestinian resistance militarily and to defend Yemen in the face of the American-British aggression," he said.

The Houthi operations will not stop until the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip is stopped and the siege on the Palestinian people in the enclave is lifted, said the spokesman, who declined to provide details about the timing of the latest attack.

The Houthi television said footage of the strike would be aired later.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on Monday that a vessel operating in waters southeast of Yemen's Nishtun port had been attacked.

According to the UKMTO statement, the ship's captain reported an explosion in the vicinity of the merchant vessel.

"The crew is reported safe and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call," the UKMTO added.

Since last November, the Houthi group has been launching ballistic missiles and drones targeting what it said were Israeli-linked ships, to show solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

--IANS