The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime passage between Oman and Iran, has long held immense economic and geopolitical significance. As tensions in the Middle East continue to simmer—especially following recent US military deployments to counter Iranian threats—this strategic waterway has again captured global attention.
Measuring just 39 kilometres at its narrowest, the strait is the only sea route connecting the oil-rich Gulf countries—namely Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates—to the Arabian Sea and beyond.
Despite its limited width, shipping lanes for both inbound and outbound traffic are confined to merely 3 kilometres each, making it a sensitive and easily disrupted transit corridor.
The Strait of Hormuz serves as the world’s single most important oil passageway. Over one-sixth of global oil production, equating to around 17.2 million barrels per day, passes through this narrow channel.
This includes exports from key OPEC members such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait and the UAE. Moreover, Qatar, the largest global exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), also relies heavily on the strait, with approximately one-third of the world’s LNG trade funnelled through its waters.
The strait's importance has prompted the deployment of major naval forces to safeguard maritime trade. Chief among them is the United States Fifth Fleet, headquartered in Manama, Bahrain, which oversees the protection of vital shipping routes in the region.
In recent years, the strait has frequently been the stage for military and political tension. Historical flashpoints include the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, during which oil shipments were regularly targeted.
What to know about Iran’s nuclear sites targeted by US strikes
In 1988, a tragic incident occurred when the US warship USS Vincennes mistakenly shot down an Iranian passenger plane, killing all 290 people aboard. In 2010, a Japanese oil tanker was attacked by a group linked to al-Qaeda near the strait.
The situation flared again in early 2012 when Iran threatened to block passage through the strait in retaliation for Western sanctions aimed at curbing its nuclear ambitions.
These tensions escalated in 2019. In May, four vessels—including two Saudi oil tankers—were attacked near Fujairah, just outside the strait. A month later, two more tankers were hit by explosions in the Gulf of Oman, raising international alarm over the security of global energy supplies.
Most recently, on 11 July, the United Kingdom accused three Iranian vessels of attempting to impede the passage of a British commercial ship through the strait. The UK had earlier seized an Iranian tanker near Gibraltar, alleging it was transporting oil to Syria in violation of EU sanctions—an accusation Iran vehemently denied.
In light of these repeated threats and incidents, regional powers such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE have proposed building alternative pipelines to circumvent the Strait of Hormuz. Nevertheless, for now, it remains the only maritime exit for the Gulf’s massive oil and gas exports—cementing its status as one of the world’s most strategically critical waterways.
Source: Al Jazeera, news agencies