US forces intercepted two anti-ship ballistic missiles on Saturday, fired by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen towards a merchant vessel in the Red Sea, US Central Command said early on Sunday.

The Denmark-owned and operated Maersk Hangzhou container ship was struck by a missile as it crossed the Southern Red Sea, Centcom said.

The USS Gravely and USS Laboon responded to the Singapore-flagged ship, it said, following the attacks, which took place at 9.30pm UAE time.

“The vessel is reportedly seaworthy and there are no reported injuries,” it said.

The Iran-aligned Houthis, who control much of Yemen, have disrupted world trade for weeks with attacks on ships passing through the Bab Al Mandeb at the southern end of the Red Sea in what they say is a response to Israel's war in Gaza.

This marks the 23rd attack by the Houthis on international shipping since November 19, Centcom said. The US and a number of other nations have formed a maritime task force to respond to the Red Sea attacks.

Also on Saturday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) organisation said it had received a report of an incident in the Red Sea about 55 nautical miles south-west of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, Reuters reported.

The master of the unidentified ship reported “a loud bang accompanied by a flash on the port bow of the vessel” and several explosions in the vicinity of the area, the UKMTO said.

No damage was reported and all crew were said to be safe. The vessel has now cleared the area at full speed to the next port of call, it said.

Several shipping lines have suspended operations through the Red Sea in response to the attacks, instead taking the longer journey around Africa.

The Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks until Israel halts the conflict in Gaza, and warned that it would attack US warships if the militia group itself was targeted.

Iran's proxy groups in Iraq, Yemen, Syria and Lebanon have increased attacks in the region to show solidarity with Gaza, which has been under Israeli bombardment following Hamas braze attack that killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, in Israel on October 7.

In Iraq, Tehran-allied Shiite militias have been attacking US forces both in country and neighbouring Syria with drones and rockets because of Washington's support for Israel in the war. In Lebanon, Hezbollah has been engaging with Israeli troops on the borders.