Strait of Hormuz evacuation paused after ship hit in Oman
What's the story
The United Nations' International Maritime Organization (IMO) has suspended its evacuation initiative in the Strait of Hormuz after a vessel was reportedly attacked in the Gulf of Oman. The cargo ship, identified as the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely, was hit on its starboard side by a projectile while passing through the strait near Oman's coast on Thursday. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed this incident, which occurred 14km southeast of Dahit port.
Safety reassessment
IMO pauses evacuation plan temporarily
The IMO had started evacuating 600 ships and around 11,000 mariners trapped due to the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. The evacuation was being carried out through Iranian and Omani waters under US supervision. However, following the attack on Ever Lovely, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez decided to pause the evacuation plan temporarily. He said this decision was taken to reconfirm that necessary safety guarantees are still in place "for the ships on our evacuation list and all those in the region."
Accusations made
Ever Lovely hit by Iranian drone
A US official told The Associated Press that the Ever Lovely was hit by an Iranian drone operated by Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. This came after Iran warned vessels against using the strait without its permission. In response to the attack, Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority said transit outside its designated routes "will not be covered by the guarantee of safe passage."
Diplomatic developments
Evacuation effort comes after US-Iran agreement
The evacuation effort by the IMO comes after a US-Iran agreement to resolve the conflict. Despite some vessels getting through with US military support, traffic remains below pre-war levels. Oman has warned that the current environment increases collision risks and requires phased, controlled movement of ships. Denmark will join an international maritime mission led by France and the UK to help reopen the waterway.