Unknown projectile strikes ship near Oman amid Strait of Hormuz tensions

An unknown projectile hit a vessel near the coast of Oman and damaged its bridge. The strike came as maritime authorities were trying to keep civilian shipping moving through the Strait of Hormuz.

The International Maritime Organization paused its Strait of Hormuz evacuation effort after the attack in the Gulf of Oman. Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the suspension was needed to reconfirm that the “necessary safety guarantees” remained in place for ships on the evacuation list and for others operating in the region.

The vessel struck near Oman had already passed through the Strait of Hormuz and was not sailing under the IMO evacuation framework. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre received the strike report from a ship close to the Omani coast. The bridge was damaged, but there were no injuries or an environmental spill.

The evacuation plan began on June 23, 2026, to help more than 11,000 stranded seafarers and hundreds of ships leave the region after months of disruption tied to the Iran-U.S. conflict. By the morning of June 25, the IMO said 57 ships carrying an estimated 1,100 seafarers had already transited under the arrangement.

The plan was built around two routes, one through Iranian waters and another through Omani waters with U.S. oversight. Iran had warned vessels to use routes it approved and said alternative passages would not be guaranteed safe. The IMF-backed maritime framework had been coordinated with Iran, Oman, other coastal states, the United States and the shipping industry to reduce the risk of further disruption.

A maritime security source said the damaged ship was the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely and was likely hit by a drone, although responsibility had not been independently confirmed. Traffic through Hormuz had recovered somewhat but remained below prewar levels.