Iran attacks threaten Gulf shipping recovery after ceasefire
Fresh Iran attacks on the Singapore-flagged M/V Ever Lovely in the Strait of Hormuz have halted a fragile Persian Gulf shipping rebound and triggered U.S. retaliatory strikes, jeopardizing the June 17 ceasefire just as tanker traffic was inching back after months of blockade. The escalation began when Iranian drones struck the cargo ship on June 25 as it exited the waterway along Oman's coast.
President Donald Trump called the incident a "foolish violation" of the 60-day ceasefire extension the two countries signed last week. U.S. Central Command responded on June 26 by striking Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar positions—the first American attacks on Iran since the deal was renewed.
Key Takeaways
- Iranian drones hit the Ever Lovely on June 25; no crew casualties were reported, but the ship sustained damage.
- The U.S. struck Iranian military sites on June 26; Iran's IRGC then targeted U.S. positions in the Gulf.
- The UN maritime agency paused evacuation plans for stranded seafarers after the attack.
- Shipping through Hormuz had been rebounding but remains far below pre-war daily traffic levels.
- Both sides accuse the other of violating the June 17 memorandum of understanding.
What triggered the latest Iran attacks in the Strait of Hormuz?
According to U.S. officials and CENTCOM, Iran launched at least four one-way attack drones at vessels transiting the strait on June 25. One drone struck the upper deck of the Ever Lovely, a Singapore-flagged cargo ship. Three others were shot down, Trump said on Truth Social. The crew reported no injuries, and the ship continued along the Omani coast.
It was the first reported attack on a cargo vessel since the June 17 memorandum of understanding extended the ceasefire. The strike came as needed as the International Maritime Organization and Oman were guiding stranded ships through a southern evacuation corridor that Iran warned would not receive its safe-passage guarantees.
How have renewed strikes affected Persian Gulf shipping recovery?
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz had been slowly recovering after months of disruption. Before the conflict, more than 100 vessels crossed daily; recent weeks showed a notable increase, though flows remained a fraction of normal levels and hundreds of ships were still stranded.
The Ever Lovely attack threatened that progress. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the agency temporarily paused its evacuation framework to reconfirm safety guarantees remained in place. The flare-up underscored how quickly confidence can evaporate in a corridor that normally carries one-fifth of global oil supply. Follow our Streaming & TV Alerts coverage for updates.
Will the June 17 ceasefire memorandum survive the escalation?
Neither Washington nor Tehran has formally declared the June 17 memorandum of understanding dead, but both sides trade accusations of violating its terms. Iran's IRGC cited Article 5 on strait transit coordination, arguing U.S. strikes breached the agreement. CENTCOM said Iran's aggression "clearly violated the ceasefire."
Technical negotiations were continuing in Switzerland as of June 27, according to Al Jazeera, even as tit-for-tat strikes raised questions about whether the fragile truce can hold.
What happens next for ships stuck in the Persian Gulf?
The central commercial lane through Hormuz remains closed because of mines, forcing operators to choose between northern routes near Iran and southern paths along Oman. Trump told reporters on June 26 he did not like that Iran "took a shot" at the Ever Lovely but stopped short of declaring the ceasefire over.
Oil prices that had eased as more tankers moved were being reassessed as traders weighed whether the exchange of fire is a temporary flare-up or a broader collapse in Gulf shipping security, according to The New York Times.