The UN paused efforts to evacuate more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran objected to the plan and a cargo ship was reportedly struck near Oman.
Why it matters: The pause and the apparent attack highlight how quickly the flow of people and goods through one of the world's busiest shipping lanes can be disrupted, even after the U.S.-Iran truce.
- The UN's International Maritime Organization announced the evacuation plan on Tuesday.
Driving the news: IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement he had been informed of an "attack" Thursday in the Gulf of Oman on a vessel as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
- "This vessel did not transit under IMO's evacuation framework," he said. "I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount. Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained."
- Several vessels had already been successfully evacuated under the IMO plan, according to Dominguez.
- "I have decided to temporarily pause its implementation in order to reconfirm that the necessary safety guarantees continue to be in place for the ships on our evacuation list and all those in the region."
State of play: Without referring directly to the IMO operation, Tehran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Navy told state media on Wednesday that "some authorities" announced a new route for Hormuz transit "without notifying or coordinating with" Iran.
- It said this was an "unacceptable and completely dangerous" plan.
- The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations center said there were no immediate reports of casualties after a vessel was struck by an "unknown projectile."
- At least two tankers had turned back after attempting to leave the Persian Gulf through the strait, per Lloyd's List Intelligence, which analyzes global maritime data.
Zoom out: The IMO estimates that 600 ships are stranded in the region and 14 sailors have died since the Iran war began in February.
