Tensions in the Middle East have surged following threats by Tehran to shut down one of the globe’s most vital maritime trade arteries — the Strait of Hormuz — shortly after the United States launched airstrikes on Iran.
Brigadier General Alireza Tangsiri, head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards naval division, warned that the passageway could be sealed off “within hours,” in reaction to recent military action ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump targeting Iranian nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
The move signals a shift from Washington’s previously delayed military posture.
The situation is unfolding against the backdrop of ongoing Israeli offensives aimed at Iranian assets across the region, intensifying an already volatile standoff.
Linking the Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea, the Strait of Hormuz serves as the sole exit route for vessels transporting energy resources from Gulf countries.
The narrow stretch of water, flanked by Iran to the north and the Oman-administered Musandam Peninsula to the south, is barely 39 to 96 kilometers wide at various points and spans nearly 170 kilometers in length.
This slender maritime corridor channels nearly a quarter of the world’s oil supply and a third of global LNG shipments, underscoring its unparalleled economic and strategic significance.
Closing off this passage would send shockwaves across energy markets. According to estimates, over 80% of the crude shipped through the strait heads to Asia, with China, India, Japan, and South Korea being primary recipients.
In a previous report, the Center for Security Policy based in Washington D.C. noted that around three-quarters of this crude oil is routed directly to Asian markets.
With global dependence on Gulf exports still high, a disruption at this chokepoint could lead to severe shortages, price spikes, and a cascade of economic consequences far beyond the region.
