A Singapore-flagged cargo vessel was struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, marking the first major security incident since the United States and Iran reached a preliminary agreement last week aimed at restoring safe navigation through the strategic waterway.
According to reports by The Wall Street Journal and Reuters, citing US officials, the attack was carried out by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The incident occurred just hours after Tehran warned that vessels using routes not approved by Iran could face enforcement action.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the vessel reported being hit by a projectile near the coast of Oman. The strike damaged the ship’s bridge but caused no casualties. Four maritime sources later identified the vessel as the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely.
The attack poses the first significant challenge to the US-Iran agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump, which was intended to end months of hostilities and restore confidence in commercial shipping through one of the world’s busiest maritime trade corridors. The incident has intensified scrutiny over Washington’s response should Iran be found to have breached the terms of the accord.
Iran Warns Ships to Use Designated Routes
Shortly before the reported attack, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that only vessels transiting along routes designated by Tehran would be guaranteed safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), established by Iran to oversee navigation in the waterway, reinforced the warning in a statement posted on X, saying that “consequences arising from passage through unauthorised routes shall be the responsibility of the owner, operator, and vessel commander.”
While Iran has not officially commented on the attack, the Revolutionary Guards reiterated earlier on Thursday that action would be taken against vessels failing to comply with its designated transit routes.
IMO Suspends Gulf Evacuation Programme
In response to the incident, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) temporarily suspended its newly launched voluntary evacuation programme designed to assist ships and seafarers leaving the Gulf after months of regional conflict.
The initiative, introduced earlier this week, was intended to facilitate the safe departure of hundreds of stranded vessels and thousands of seafarers who had remained in the region since fighting erupted in late February.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the organisation had decided to pause the programme “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.”
The IMO clarified that Ever Lovely was not participating in the evacuation programme. Under the initiative, vessels could voluntarily exit the Gulf using either an Iranian or Omani transit route under international coordination.
Security Concerns Return to Strait of Hormuz
The latest attack has renewed concerns over the security of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, despite recent efforts to stabilise the region.
Earlier on Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that any Iranian interference with commercial shipping would have serious consequences.
“If Iran threatens or blocks ships in the strait, then we’re going to have a problem,” Rubio told reporters while concluding a tour of Gulf states.
Meanwhile, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said crude oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz had nearly returned to pre-conflict levels, with more than 20 million barrels of oil transiting the waterway over the previous 24 hours.
The attack on Ever Lovely now raises fresh uncertainty over the durability of the US-Iran agreement and the safety of global maritime trade through one of the world’s most strategically important shipping lanes.
