DUBAI: A UN maritime agency has paused the evacuation of ships through the Strait of Hormuz after the British military said a vessel was hit Thursday by a projectile off the coast of Oman. The head of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said the plan to move stranded ships through the strait will be on hold until the agency can confirm safety guarantees for the ships on the evacuation list and in the region. It was unclear who launched the projectile or the type of vessel that was targeted.

While the waterway had effectively been blocked since the war began on February 28, maritime traffic has increased over the past week amid peace talks.

A U.S. official told The Associated Press that the vessel was hit by an Iranian drone.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) security agency reported that the incident occurred 7.5 nautical miles (14 kilometres) southeast of Dahit, in Oman's Musandam exclave.