IMO Pauses Evacuations After Ship Attack in Gulf of Oman

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has paused its evacuation efforts for ships and seafarers in the Middle East Gulf following an attack on a container ship on Thursday. A U.S. official attributed the attack to Iran. The IMO's initiative, launched earlier in the week, aimed to assist hundreds of stranded vessels, but the pause is necessary to ensure safety guarantees for evacuees. Despite recent diplomatic efforts, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains below pre-war levels, with only 125 vessels passing in the past week, the highest since the conflict began in late February.