Iran strikes vessel, pausing UN efforts to evacuate ships from Hormuz

Iran struck a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, forcing a pause on evacuations of stranded seafarers and demonstrating its continued ability to restrict the critical waterway, despite the agreement reached last week with the United States.

A US official told CNN the vessel was attacked by an Iranian drone, but did not provide further details.

While Iran has not claimed responsibility, Thursday’s attack came hours after its powerful revolutionary guards warned that vessels would only be given safe passage via Iranian routes, challenging the Trump administration’s claim that the strait is free and open once more.

The fresh attack, the first reported since the US and Iran agreed last week to work towards a peace deal, prompted an uptick in global oil prices and came as Secretary of State Marco Rubio tried to sell the agreement to skeptical Gulf nations. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment.

The cargo vessel was struck on its starboard side by an unknown projectile, damaging the bridge, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which monitors marine traffic in the region. No casualties or environmental impact were reported.

Vessels were advised to transit with caution and report suspicious activity,

The attack forced the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) to halt its mission to evacuate hundred of ships and more than 11,000 seafarers who’ve been stranded in Persian Gulf region since the war broke out.

“I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount,” IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement. “Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained.”

The evacuation mission only began in recent days, following the signing of the memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran.

Dominguez said that the ship that was attacked was not operating under the IMO evacuation framework, adding that the incident highlights the need to ensure evacuation efforts can continue without seafarers being put at risk.

This week, ship movements in the Strait of Hormuz had hit their highest point since the war began in late February, with MarineTraffic data showing 70 crossings on Wednesday. Most of those vessels use a route that followed the coast of Oman, the maritime monitoring group said.

Iran sees control of the waterway as a key point of leverage in negotiations. On Thursday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp warned that safe passage would only be given to ships via routes declared to Iran.

After the attack, the Persian Gulf Seaways Management Organization – an agency Tehran recently established to manage the strait – said safe transit would not be guaranteed. “The consequences of traveling on unauthorized routes will be the responsibility of the owner, operator, and commander of the vessel,” the agency said on X.