Rhino: Agencies – Two missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi group hit and damaged a Singapore-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden on Friday, in an escalation of attacks on global shipping triggered by Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip.

The overnight attack on the Lubivia came as the Iran-aligned Houthi group claimed responsibility for a long-range drone attack in the center of Tel Aviv that killed one person and injured four others.

In the past few weeks, the Houthis have become more adept at inflicting damage on their targets. In June, the Houthis hit the Greek-owned coal tanker Tutor with missiles and a booby-trapped drone boat, causing it to sink.

‘Their capabilities, and their ability to acquire more sophisticated weapons, have increased over the course of this conflict,’ said Gerald Feierstein, director of the Arabian Peninsula Program at the Middle East Institute in Washington.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a televised address on Friday that the group had fired ballistic missiles and drones at the Lubivia. The ship’s management company could not be reached for comment.

The left side of the ship was hit by two missiles in two separate incidents 83 nautical miles southeast of the Yemeni city of Aden, the UK’s Maritime Trade Operations Authority said, adding that the extent of the damage to the ship was not yet known.

The ship is seaworthy, and all crew members are safe, but will return to the last port of call, the MCO said.