Iranian drone hit cargo vessel around Hormuz, claims US officials; UN halts evacuation operation
Hours after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre reported that a cargo vessel was hit by an unidentified projectile near the Strait of
Hours after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre reported that a cargo vessel was hit by an unidentified projectile near the Strait of Hormuz, CNN, citing a US official, said the vessel was hit by an Iranian drone. The alleged drone strike by Iran on Thursday prompted the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, to halt evacuations of thousands of seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz since the US and Israel war against Iran began in late February. Announcing the pause in evacuations in a post on X, the UN agency, citing the IMO chief, wrote, "I have been informed of an attack today in the Gulf of Oman. Seafarer safety remains paramount. To ensure coordinated approach & navigational safety, the IMO evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity." The US official did not provide further details regarding the strike, and Tehran has not claimed responsibility. Also Read | Cargo ship struck by unknown projectile near Hormuz, UK Maritime Agency reports Here's what we know about the cargo vessel attack The UKMTO, in a statement, said, "A cargo vessel has been hit on the starboard side by an unknown projectile, causing damage to the bridge." In an advisory issued to the shipping industry, the UKMTO said the incident occurred roughly 7.5 nautical miles southeast of Dahit, Oman.
The projectile reportedly struck the vessel on its starboard side, causing damage to the ship's bridge, AFP reported. However, no casualties and environmental impact were reported, the statement said, and added that officials are now investigating. Meanwhile, the UKMTO has advised vessels to transit with caution and report suspicious activity. Evacuation operation halted The IMO, a UN agency responsible for shipping, announced its plan to halt the evacuation operation helping stranded vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz. The IMO chief said the evacuation effort would remain suspended until safety assurances could be secured for both the ships involved in the evacuation and commercial vessels operating in the region. The pause in operation comes days after the IMO said an agreement between the US and Iran had paved the way for the evacuation of over 11,000 stranded seafarers from the Persian Gulf. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, in a statement, said, “I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount," and added, “Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained," CNN reported.
The BriefWire