UN pauses Strait of Hormuz evacuation plan after cargo ship attacked

Lead

The UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) has paused its evacuation of ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was attacked off the coast of Oman, raising doubts about the safety of a newly opened transit route and the durability of the US-Iran ceasefire.

The British maritime security agency UKMTO reported that a ship had been struck 7.5 nautical miles southeast of Oman's port of Dahit by "an unknown projectile" on Thursday. No casualties were reported. The vessel, identified by four sources as the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely, was not part of the IMO evacuation program, according to IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez.

Coverage Comparison

Coverage of the incident was consistent across outlets. BBC — World reported the attack and the pause of the evacuation plan for more than 11,000 sailors. The Guardian — World and The Hindu — World both noted that the British military said a vessel was hit by a projectile off the coast of Oman and that the IMO head said the plan to move stranded ships would be on hold until safety guarantees could be confirmed. ABC Australia reported that the UN agency paused its escort operation and that a vessel reported being hit while close to Oman.

While all outlets framed the attack as a setback for the evacuation effort, there was some variation in the details provided. BBC — World and ABC Australia gave the ship's name and said it continued through the strait despite the attack, while The Guardian — World and The Hindu — World focused more on the uncertainty about who launched the projectile and the vessel's type.

Key Claims

• The IMO paused its evacuation of ships through the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was attacked. The pause was announced by IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, who said the agency wanted to reconfirm that "necessary safety guarantees" remain in place for ships on the evacuation list and in the region.
• The attacked vessel was the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely, which was struck by a projectile southeast of Oman's port of Dahit, according to UKMTO. No casualties were reported, and the ship continued through the strait despite the attack, according to maritime risk management firm Vanguard.
• Two US officials told Reuters that Iran had fired on the ship, while Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority — a new government agency set up to manage shipping in the strait — said vessels outside its designated routes "will not be covered by the guarantee of safe passage."
• The evacuation plan, launched on Tuesday, aims to move hundreds of ships and about 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Gulf since the start of the war in late February. The IMO said it had secured the necessary safety guarantees and verified conditions for safe navigation.
• US President Donald Trump warned earlier this month that if Iran did not honour an agreement aimed at ending the war and reopening the strait, the US would probably go back to bombing the country again.
• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, visiting the Gulf to reassure American allies, said Washington was committed to the new route and making sure ships were able to transit the strait. "If that stops, then we're going to have a problem," he said. Rubio also said Washington will not accept Iranian tolls or fees on the Strait of Hormuz.
• The naval arm of the Revolutionary Guard issued a warning against using the new route, and one tanker received a radio threat: "You are in range of my missiles and maybe (I) fire on you," as reported by ABC Australia.
• The US and Iran are still debating terms of an interim peace deal, including the future of Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Traffic through the strait has increased in recent days but remains well below prewar levels.

Perspectives

United States: The US, which backs the new transit route, warned that any disruption would be unacceptable. President Trump threatened to resume bombing if Iran reneged on the agreement, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would not accept Iranian tolls or fees on the strait.

Iran: Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority said vessels outside its designated routes would not be guaranteed safe passage. Tehran has also indicated it may impose maritime service fees for crossing the strait, despite the ceasefire deal calling for free passage for 60 days.

International Maritime Organization: The IMO, which coordinates the evacuation, paused the operation to ensure safety guarantees remain in place, saying the safety of seafarers is paramount.