Aden (Yemen), Feb 22 (IANS): Yemen's internationally recognised government has expressed strong condemnation for the Houthi group's assault on a commercial ship carrying 40,000 ton of grain intended for the war-ravaged Yemen.

In a statement released by the state-run Saba news agency, the government said on Wednesday that the ship named the Sea Champion was fired upon by Houthi forces on Monday while sailing from Argentina to the port of Aden in southern Yemen, Xinhua news agency reported.

The attack was carried out using two ballistic missiles, according to a Houthi announcement.

The government added that the ship was carrying a cargo of 40,000 ton of grain, of which 9,229 ton of corn were destined for Aden. The rest was to be unloaded at the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah.

The Sea Champion has delivered vital food aid to Yemen 11 times over the past five years since the outbreak of the country's civil war, according to the government.

Yemen's Information Minister Muammar Al-Eryani described the assault as "a dangerous escalation of Houthi attacks on commercial ships".

He accused the Houthis of exacerbating Yemen's humanitarian crisis and forcing innocent civilians to pay the price.

The Houthis have stepped up their attacks on international shipping since mid-November last year, saying they were in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza who faced Israeli attacks.