The fragile understanding reached between the United States and Iran suffered a setback after a commercial vessel was struck in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, prompting the suspension of a United Nations operation to evacuate thousands of stranded seafarers. The attack underscored Tehran's continued ability to disrupt traffic through one of the world's most strategically important shipping lanes, despite last week's agreement to pursue a broader peace deal.

The operation follows a peace agreement between the United States and Iran that ended months of conflict and allowed commercial shipping to resume through one of the world's most…

Following the start of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28, Tehran had effectively closed off the vital waterway.