Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for a missile strike on the Dutch-flagged cargo vessel Minervagracht, saying the attack was carried out on Monday outside the usual Red Sea theatre of their operations.

In a statement, the Houthis’ military spokesperson said a cruise missile was used in the strike, which allegedly caused a fire on board and left the ship at risk of sinking.

The group said the attack was carried out in response to the situation in Gaza and to underline its declared ban on Israeli-linked shipping in the Red and Arabian Seas.

The Joint Maritime Information Center, overseen by the U.S. Navy, reported that the Minervagracht had “no Israeli affiliations.”

The attack on the Dutch-flagged cargo ship left two crew members wounded and forced the vessel’s remaining mariners to abandon ship after it caught fire in the Gulf of Aden, officials confirmed.

It marks the most serious incident in the Gulf of Aden to date, expanding beyond the Red Sea, where Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi movement has carried out the majority of its strikes. In July, the Houthis sank two commercial vessels in the Red Sea, underscoring the threat to one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.

The group has repeatedly targeted international shipping since late 2023, saying its operations are linked to the conflict in Gaza. The United States and partner navies have established patrols and launched strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen in response, but the attacks have continued across the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and now further into the Gulf of Aden.

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