A Singapore-flagged commercial cargo ship was attacked Thursday in the Strait of Hormuz, forcing the U.N. International Maritime Organization to pause its efforts to escort vessels through the vital global energy chokepoint.

Two senior U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps carried out the attack. The vessel, Ever Lovely, sustained damage to its bridge, and there were no casualties.

It is unclear whether the attack will affect the memorandum of understanding signed by the U.S. and Iran last week. The MOU established a 60-day framework while the sides work toward a permanent deal. The deal requires that Iran make its best efforts to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the strait in return for lifting the U.S. naval blockade of its ports.

As part of the pact, the U.S. waived sanctions on Iranian oil sales this week and allowed Tehran to sell its crude in dollars for the first time in decades.

Newsmax reached out to the White House for comment.

“I have been informed of an attack today in the Gulf of Oman on a vessel which passed through the Strait of Hormuz,” IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement. “This vessel did not transit under IMO’s evacuation framework.

“I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount. Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained.”

The IMO on Tuesday announced it was coordinating an evacuation route “for over 11,000 seafarers still stranded in the region” since the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran began Feb. 28.

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Tagged: Middle East BACK TO HOMEPAGE