Ship attack revives ceasefire fears; negotiators split over $12 billion assets

West Asia War News Live: Fresh tensions have emerged in the Gulf after the Singapore-flagged cargo ship, Ever Lovely, was hit by a projectile near Oman on Thursday, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).Two US officials told Reuters that Iran had fired on the vessel, while a security source said it was likely targeted by a drone. There was no immediate response from Tehran.

The incident came hours after Iran warned that vessels must use shipping routes designated by Tehran to transit the Strait of Hormuz, saying those using unauthorised routes would not be guaranteed safe passage. The IMO said it had paused its evacuation initiative to reconfirm safety guarantees for ships awaiting passage through the strategic waterway.

The reported attack pushed benchmark oil prices about 2% higher, reviving concerns over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, which handled around a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies before the conflict.

The developments also cast fresh uncertainty over negotiations between Washington and Tehran, with key issues including sanctions, Iran’s nuclear programme and control of the waterway still unresolved.

Follow CNBC-TV18’s live blog for the latest developments from the US-Iran negotiations, the Strait of Hormuz, and Israel-Lebanon tensions.