The UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) has temporarily paused its escort operations for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo vessel reported an attack near Oman. The incident has reignited worries over whether an emerging, preliminary arrangement to end the Iran war will hold.

According to UKMTO, the ship reported being hit close to Oman by a projectile. Two US officials told Reuters that Iran fired on the vessel. Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority said vessels traveling outside routes it has approved will not be guaranteed safe passage and that any consequences would fall on the ship’s owner, operator, and commander.

The IMO said it paused the escort “to temporarily pause its implementation” in order to reconfirm that safety guarantees remain in place for ships on its evacuation list and for others in the region. The IMO also said the ship involved in the suspected attack was not part of its evacuation programme.

The escort initiative had been launched as a voluntary option for ships and crews to leave the Gulf via two routes—one through Iranian waters and another through Omani waters—with US oversight. Reports also noted that the UN effort was aimed at helping hundreds of ships and thousands of seafarers who had been stranded for months due to the conflict.

Following the attack report, oil prices rose, reflecting concerns about how long it could take for Gulf oil flows to return to normal levels if the standoff escalates again.