Attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz halts the evacuation of more than 11,000 sailors

A new incident in the Strait of Hormuz has brought insecurity back to the region after a cargo ship was struck, raising doubts about the implementation of the recent agreement between the United States and Iran.

A U.S. official said the strike was carried out by an Iranian drone, although Tehran has not yet officially claimed responsibility for the attack.

The incident came just hours after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announced that ships would be able to pass safely only through sea routes approved by Iran. This position contradicts statements by the Trump administration, which said navigation in the Strait of Hormuz had returned to normal after the agreement reached last week.

According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the ship was hit on its starboard side by a still-unidentified projectile, causing damage to the bridge. There were no reports of casualties or environmental pollution, while authorities urged all vessels passing through the area to exercise maximum caution and report any suspicious activity.

The consequences of the attack were immediately felt in international operations as well. The UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) announced that it has suspended the mission to evacuate hundreds of ships and more than 11,000 seafarers who have remained stranded in the Persian Gulf since the outbreak of the conflict.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said protecting seafarers remains the absolute priority and that the evacuation plan will remain on hold until there is full clarification of the circumstances. He stressed that the ship that was struck was not part of the evacuation operation, but that the incident shows the risk in this area remains high.

Meanwhile, the Iranian Organization for the Management of Persian Gulf Sea Routes warned that it no longer guarantees safe passage for ships that do not follow the corridors defined by Tehran. Iranian authorities said responsibility for any incident will fall on the owners, operators and captains of ships that choose other routes.

The developments also immediately affected international markets, pushing oil prices higher. Brent crude ended the day up about 2%, at $74 a barrel, amid concerns that tensions in one of the world’s most important oil shipping corridors could deepen even further.

The agreement signed last week between the U.S. and Iran provides for an end to the fighting, guarantees of free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and the easing of sanctions on Tehran, in exchange for a commitment not to develop nuclear weapons. However, the latest incident shows that the situation remains fragile and that the negotiations expected to begin on June 30 will take place in a tense atmosphere.