The International Maritime Organization launched a late-June operation to extract over 600 ships and 11,000 seafarers from the Strait of Hormuz after its closure by Iran since late February. The effort, coordinated with Iran, Oman, the United States and other states, freed more than 100 vessels before an attack on the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely forced suspension. Iran has maintained military presence on the islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb since seizing them in 1971.