What Is the Strait of Hormuz and Why Is Iran Blocking It?
With attacks and threats, Tehran is using the world’s most important transit point for oil and gas as leverage against its enemies.
With attacks and threats, Tehran is using the world’s most important transit point for oil and gas as leverage against its enemies.
A fifth of the world’s oil passes through the strait, making it a critical choke point in global commerce.
The United States said this week that it had attacked 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz. In the 1980s, Iranian mines damaged oil tankers and a U.S. Navy warship.
An attack off the Iraqi coast engulfed two oil tankers in flames, killing at least one person. Senior Iraqi officials believe the attack was Iranian.
In an overwhelming vote, the council backed a resolution condemning Iran. A Russian proposal calling for an end to the war that didn’t assign blame or even name the parties, was rejected.
The United States and Israel launched more strikes against Iran, where crowds mourned military commanders killed in the war. Israel also bombed targets in Lebanon, where the death toll climbed.
Three vessels were hit in and around the Persian Gulf on Wednesday, according to a British maritime agency. Iran claimed responsibility for one.
Three vessels were hit on Wednesday, according to a British maritime agency. The Strait of Hormuz is all but closed as war in the Middle East expands.
The members of the International Energy Agency will release 400 million barrels of oil, the largest such coordinated action on record.
In the lead-up to the U.S.-Israeli attack, President Trump downplayed the risks to the energy markets as a short-term concern that should not overshadow the mission to decapitate the Iranian regime.