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Iran’s latest strike in the Strait of Hormuz has intensified tensions and disrupted critical maritime operations, after Iranian forces carried out a drone attack on the Singapore-flagged container ship Ever Lovely on Thursday evening. The vessel, owned by Taiwan-based shipping company Evergreen Marine, was transiting near the coast of Oman when it was hit on its starboard side by what U.S. officials later identified as an Iranian drone launched by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The impact caused significant damage to the ship’s bridge, but the master reported that all crew members remained safe and that there was no environmental damage or oil spill. The Ever Lovely had been trapped in the Persian Gulf for more than 100 days after loading cargo in Iraq and was attempting to exit the waterway when it came under attack. Oman’s adjacent waters in the Strait of Hormuz have become a focal point of renewed maritime risk, as the strike forced the United Nations to immediately halt a massive operation to evacuate thousands of stranded seafarers from the Persian Gulf. U.S. officials and maritime security agencies said the attack reignited concerns about the safety of commercial shipping and the stability of global energy supplies transiting one of the world’s most important chokepoints. The incident came just hours after the IRGC Navy repeatedly broadcast radio messages declaring the strait closed to unauthorized traffic and warning that vessels must obtain explicit permission from Tehran and follow Iranian-designated routes, with any consequences from noncompliance placed squarely on shipowners, charterers and masters.

Prepared by Rachel Morgan and reviewed by editorial team.