MISSILES struck a US-owned ship just off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden, officials said today, further increasing tensions in the area.

While details were sketchy, the strike came a day after a missile attack on a US warship in the wake of a joint US-British assault on Houthi-led Yemen on Friday.

In the past weeks, Yemenis have targeted the trade corridor to demand an end to Israels brutal bombardment of the Palestinians in Gaza.

The attacks have threatened to widen the conflict in Gaza across the region.

The Yemenis did not immediately acknowledge the attack.

It was not immediately clear whether this latest incident would spark further US attacks , though President Joe Biden has said he “will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which oversees Middle East waters, said the attack on the ship happened some 110 miles south-east of Aden.

It offered few details, other than to say the ship’s captain reported that the port side of the vessel was hit from above by a missile. It did not identify the ship or elaborate.

The US navy’s Middle East-based 5th Fleet did not immediately respond to a request for comment and the Yemeni government did not acknowledge any attack.

The Yemeni fire on Sunday was aimed at the USS Laboon, a destroyer operating in the southern reaches of the Red Sea, the US military’s Central Command said.

The US said the missile was fired from near the Red Sea port city of Hodeida.

“An anti-ship cruise missile was fired from Iranian-backed Houthi militant areas of Yemen toward USS Laboon," US Central Command said. “There were no injuries or damage reported.”