New york: The UN maritime agency, IMO, condemned overnight attacks on shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz that killed at least two seafarers as fresh strikes were reported early Tuesday in the escalating US-Iran war.

According to United Nations, the attacks come in the wake of a conflict that began in February when Israel and the US initiated a bombing campaign against Iran. This has led to retaliatory strikes by Tehran against US allies and assets in the Gulf, despite an interim ceasefire agreement intended to secure safe shipping corridors. The IMO has expressed grave concern over the escalation and is working urgently with authorities to confirm the circumstances of the recent attacks, stressing the need to end the cycle of escalation.

The IMO has been engaged with regional parties since hostilities erupted, attempting to manage the closure of the strait by establishing evacuation routes for stranded ships. This critical commercial waterway once facilitated the transport of 20 percent of the world's oil and natural gas exports. However, the fragile truce established under the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding signed in mid-June has now been broken.

The IMO has called for all involved parties to exercise restraint, avoid further escalation, and return to dialogue. The recent escalation has seen multiple strikes on ships attempting to navigate the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the agency to urge parties to adopt measures that protect seafarers' lives and ensure the freedom of navigation.

UN human rights chief Volker Trk expressed alarm over the reported closure of the Strait of Hormuz, citing the broader implications for human rights. The disruption in the flow of food, medicines, and other essential commodities poses severe socioeconomic and humanitarian challenges both regionally and globally, Trk emphasized. He called for an immediate cessation of attacks by Iran and the US and advocated for a return to the ceasefire in accordance with international law.

The IMO has been closely monitoring developments to protect the more than 20,000 seafarers in the region, including those stranded on vessels unable to exit the Strait of Hormuz. In June, the agency successfully evacuated around 11,000 seafarers but paused the operation on June 25 following a series of attacks. The IMO continues to participate in a UN-led dedicated Task Force on the Strait of Hormuz, established in March 2026.