UN pauses ship evacuation through Strait of Hormuz after vessel hit by projectile
A United Nations agency has paused its plan to evacuate ships through the Strait of Hormuz after a vessel was struck by a projectile off the coast of Oman, the British military reported. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) said the initiative would be on hold until it can confirm safety guarantees for ships on the evacuation list and in the region.
The attack occurred on Thursday (June 25, 2026) hours after Iran threatened vessels against using a new transit route through the strategic waterway without Tehran's permission. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre confirmed the vessel sustained damage but reported no injuries or environmental impact. The identity of the attacker and the type of vessel targeted remain unclear.
The IMO-backed alternative passage was intended to relieve pressure on the global economy and reduce Iran's leverage in ongoing peace talks with the United States. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, visiting Gulf allies, said Washington remained committed to the new route. “If that stops, then we’re going to have a problem,” Rubio said earlier Thursday.
Despite the setback, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has increased in recent days, though still far below pre-war levels. Oil prices briefly dipped below $73 per barrel, the last pre-war price, indicating market optimism. The US and Iran are negotiating an interim peace deal, with a 60-day deadline to finalise details under a memorandum of understanding signed last week.
Meanwhile, a flare-up in fighting between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon threatens the wider truce. Lebanon reported five people killed by Israeli strikes over the past two days.
Oil tankers, led by the Stoic Warrior vessel, have been using a route laid out by Oman and the IMO, hugging the coast of the UAE and Oman. North of this route lies a corridor previously used for free navigation, which Iran claims to have mined after US and Israeli attacks on February 28. At least one mine has been sighted there.
Shipping company Maersk confirmed its container ship, the Maersk Baltimore, and another chartered vessel successfully transited the strait on Thursday. Last week, 125 vessels crossed, up from 33 the previous week, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence. S&P Global reported 78 transits on Wednesday, the highest since the war began but still below the daily pre-war average of 130.
“Opportunistic operators — and there are many of them — emboldened by the lower transit risk, or at least the perceived lower transit risk, have begun chasing the backlog of trapped cargoes,” said Richard Meade, editor-in-chief at Lloyd’s List.
