IMO Urges Ships to Avoid Hormuz as U.S. Strikes Iran Over Vessel Attacks

The security situation in the Strait of Hormuz deteriorated sharply on Wednesday after the United States launched a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets in response to attacks on commercial shipping, prompting the International Maritime Organization to urge the industry to avoid transiting the waterway if crew safety cannot be assured.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces struck more than 80 targets across Iran on Tuesday, including air defense systems, command-and-control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) small boats operating in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

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