A United Nations agency halted plans to evacuate ships from the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday following an attack on a merchant vessel off the coast of Oman. The incident occurred after several tankers used a new route backed by the agency. A U.S. official identified the attacker as an Iranian drone.
The International Maritime Organization put its evacuation plan on hold until safety guarantees could be confirmed for the listed ships. The head of the agency, Arsenio Dominguez, noted that the struck vessel was not part of the effort.
The British military reported the vessel sustained damage with no injuries or environmental effects. A U.S. official said the merchant vessel Ever Lovely was hit by a drone operated by Iran's Revolutionary Guard.
Iran's new Persian Gulf Strait Authority warned that transit outside its designated routes would not be covered by safe passage guarantees. The Revolutionary Guard called the alternative route unacceptable and said violators would be dealt with.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, visiting the Gulf region, reaffirmed Washington's commitment to the new route ahead of the strike report. Oil prices briefly fell below the prewar level of just under $73 per barrel.
