The US Navy detained five people who attacked a tanker in the Gulf of Aden amid rising tensions over the Israel-Gaza war, the US military said on Monday, adding that the vessel and its crew are safe.

A US Navy ship responded to a distress call on Sunday from the Central Park, a commercial tanker sailing under the flag of Liberia. The ship is managed by Zodiac maritime company, which is owned by an Israeli businessman.

When the US vessel arrived, five armed individuals attempted to flee via their small boat, but were pursued until they surrendered, US Central Command said in a statement.

In the early hours of Monday, two ballistic missiles were fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen towards the two vessels location. The missiles landed approximately 10 nautical miles from the ships. There were no damage or injuries reported.

Joke of the Day Joke of the Day for April 29, 2024: Get your funny on

The Yemeni government blamed the Iran-allied Houthi rebels for the attack on the Central Park tanker.

The rebels, who took control of the capital Sana'a and other areas in Yemen in 2014, have yet to comment. They have vowed to target any Israeli ship as long as the war continues in Gaza.

Over a week ago, they seized the Israeli-linked Bahamas-flagged Galaxy Leader cargo ship off the coast of Yemen and took the two dozen crew members hostage.

The Houthis said that they had hijacked the ship due to Israel's war on Gaza.