The United Nations' International Maritime Organization has suspended the evacuation of stranded vessels through the Strait of Hormuz after a merchant ship was struck off Oman, reported the Associated Press.

IMO secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez said the plan will remain on hold until safety guarantees are confirmed. The Ever Lovely was hit by an Iranian drone operated by the Revolutionary Guard, according to a US official. The vessel was not part of the evacuation effort.

Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority warned that only routes it designates will be covered by safe passage guarantees. The UK Maritime Trade Operations centre said the vessel sustained damage but reported no injuries or environmental impact.

The incident came as traffic through the strait increased, though still below prewar levels. Oil briefly dipped below US$73 per barrel, reflecting market optimism. Last week, 125 vessels crossed the strait, up from 33 the week before, while Wednesday saw 78 transits, the most since the war began.

Iran's naval arm denounced the new route laid out by Oman and the IMO as "unacceptable and completely dangerous." It warned that vessels outside Iranian-declared lanes would be prohibited and violators "dealt with."

The flare-up coincides with US-Iran peace talks and a fragile truce in Lebanon, where Israeli strikes have killed five people in two days. Washington has pledged to support the alternative passage to ease global economic pressure and reduce Iran's leverage in negotiations.