How the Iran War Is Disrupting the Strait of Hormuz: Explainer

March 12, 2026, 1:16 PM UTC

Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has almost completely stopped in the days since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran.

Iran sits above this strategic waterway, which is a vital route for exports of oil, gas and other commodities from the Persian Gulf, and has targeted tankers in the area. Its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned ships not to sail through the passageway, saying that vessels “could be at risk from missiles or rogue drones,” according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency.

Oil and gas prices have surged since the start of the war amid the ...

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