UN Halts Strait of Hormuz Evacuation After Iran-Linked Attack on Cargo Ship

UN Halts Strait of Hormuz Evacuation After Iran-Linked Attack on Cargo Ship

International Maritime Organization suspends rescue mission following projectile strike on Singapore-flagged vessel; US officials blame Tehran as fragile peace deal faces renewed strain

The UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) has paused its emergency evacuation of more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship passing through the strategic waterway was attacked on Thursday, dealing a blow to a fragile US-Iran interim peace deal. The British maritime security agency UKMTO reported that a vessel was struck approximately 7.5 nautical miles southeast of Oman’s port of Dahit by “an unknown projectile,” sustaining damage to its bridge. No casualties were reported, and the ship continued through the strait without requiring assistance. The vessel was identified as the Singapore-flagged container ship Ever Lovely, which had been stranded in the Persian Gulf for over 100 days before attempting its departure. Maritime risk management firm Vanguard confirmed the ship continued its journey and successfully exited on the eastern side of the strait at approximately 15:30 local time. Evergreen Shipping, the vessel’s operator, issued a statement confirming that the Ever Lovely sustained damage to the wheelhouse and bridge windows but reported the ship, crew, and cargo were all safe, with the main engine and navigation systems functioning normally. According to ship-tracking website MarineTraffic, the vessel entered the strait using the southern route on Thursday morning and exited on the east side.

Two US officials told Reuters and CNN that Iran was responsible for the attack, with a security source suggesting the vessel was likely targeted by a drone. Iran has not claimed responsibility for the incident. The attack came hours after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a stark warning requiring ships to travel only along designated routes and coordinate with Iranian authorities when passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) posted on X that vessels traveling outside designated routes would not be guaranteed safe passage. The authority also warned that “any consequences arising from the use of unauthorised routes shall be the responsibility of the vessel’s owner, operator and master.”

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IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez announced the suspension in a statement on Thursday, emphasizing that safety remains paramount. Dominguez stated that following the launch of the IMO’s evacuation plan, through which several vessels have already been successfully evacuated, he had decided to temporarily pause its implementation in order to reconfirm that the necessary safety guarantees continue to be in place for the ships on the evacuation list and all those in the region. He noted that the Ever Lovely did not transit under the IMO’s evacuation framework at the time of the attack. He also highlighted that Thursday marked the Day of the Seafarer, stressing the need to ensure that thousands of stranded mariners do not become “collateral victims in this geopolitical conflict.” Dominguez reiterated that he has always emphasized that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount, and therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan would be paused until further clarity is obtained.

Hundreds of ships and thousands of sailors have been stranded in the Gulf since February due to the US-Israel war against Iran. The UN evacuation effort was only announced on Tuesday, June 23, following the reopening of the strait after a US-Iran interim agreement. Dominguez described the initiative as a “large-scale operation” with cooperation from Iran, Oman, the US, other coastal states in the region, and the maritime industry. The program offered ships two voluntary routes to leave the Gulf: one via Iranian waters and another through Omani waters with US oversight. Before the suspension, the IMO reported that 57 vessels with approximately 1,100 crew members had successfully left the Strait of Hormuz between June 23 and the early hours of June 25.

Last week, the US and Iran signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to end hostilities and reopen the strait, which included a commitment from Iran to use its “best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days.” President Donald Trump warned earlier this month that if Iran did not honor the agreement, the US would “probably go back to bombing the country again.” Despite the agreement, Tehran has repeatedly signaled it plans to assert control over the waterway and charge what it calls maritime service fees for crossing, which the US has fiercely opposed. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, currently on a tour of Gulf states to reassure partners about the interim pact, warned that if Iran threatened or blocked ships in the strait, “then we’re going to have a problem.” Rubio emphasized that no country is allowed to impose tolls on the Strait of Hormuz, which he called “an international waterway.”

Following the attack, the IRGC ordered two Panama-flagged ships to change course, according to British maritime security company Ambrey. The IRGC also posted on its official Telegram channel that three vessels using the IMO-approved southern route were ordered to turn back. Maritime intelligence company Windward reported that a total of five ships reversed course following the incident. The IRGC stated that attempts to cross the strait along the IMO-designated routes were “unacceptable and extremely dangerous” and that all vessels should coordinate with Iranian authorities.

Benchmark oil prices rose 1.9% following the reported attack, with analysts warning the incident could delay the resumption of normal Gulf oil flows and refocus attention on Iran’s future control over the strategic waterway. Before the conflict, the Strait of Hormuz handled approximately one-fifth of the world’s daily oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Data from maritime tracking firm Kpler showed that 70 ships passed through the strait on June 24, more than double the previous day’s count, indicating a tentative recovery in traffic following the interim agreement. However, earlier on Thursday, the price of oil briefly fell below $72.48 per barrel—the level it was at before the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in February—before edging up to $73.23.

The IMO has indicated the evacuation plan will remain paused “until further clarity is obtained” regarding safety guarantees for ships in the region. The attack has raised renewed questions about the enforceability of the US-Iran interim agreement and the extent of Iran’s future control over the Strait of Hormuz. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, while acknowledging that the US wants a deal, emphasized that Washington seeks “a deal, not a deal at any price.” The international community will be watching closely to see whether the pause in evacuation operations proves temporary or signals a broader unraveling of the fragile peace agreement.