Middle East Crisis Strait of Hormuz

Evacuation of Hormuz paused after attack on ship

The UN Maritime Organization IMO says that the evacuation of the Strait of Hormuz is paused after an attack on a ship off the coast of Oman. This is reported by Reuters.

The ship was not covered by the IMO's framework for evacuation, according to IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez. But the evacuation is temporarily paused to "confirm that the necessary safety guarantees continue to apply to the ships on our evacuation list and all in the region," he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Iranian authorities say that ships that do not use what they call "approved routes" out of the strait are not guaranteed safe passage.

Sources: Iran Attacks Ships in Strait of Hormuz

A cargo ship has been damaged after being hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, the British maritime watchdog UKMTO said, according to AFP.

According to two senior American sources to the WSJ, Iran's Revolutionary Guard was behind the attack.

No one was reported injured, and the incident is not said to have caused any hazardous emissions.

The ship was near the coast of Oman when it was hit. Earlier in the day, Iran's Revolutionary Guard warned ships against passing through the strait without permission.