Since the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28, the Strait of Hormuz — one of the most important energy chokepoints on Earth — has been virtually paralysed. According to a Dawn report citing British naval authorities, at least 21 commercial vessels, including 10 tankers, have been attacked or reported security incidents in the Gulf, the Strait, or the Gulf of Oman since March 1. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have claimed additional strikes not yet independently confirmed.
In peacetime, roughly a fifth of all global crude oil and liquefied natural gas transits through this narrow corridor. Its effective closure is now sending shockwaves through supply chains worldwide.