Why is the Strait of Hormuz so important? How Iranian attacks on ships could spark chaos in oil and gas markets
Iranian forces have set fire to a US oil tanker after striking it in the northern Gulf, according to state media.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned they would set fire to any vessels attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz after claiming “complete control” of the major shipping route on Wednesday.
The Strait of Hormuz is a waterway in the Persian Gulf through which around a fifth of the world’s oil passes.
The US has not commented on reports of an attack, which represent a further escalation in the ongoing conflict as it enters its sixth day.
Earlier, the UK Maritime Trade Operations said that a tanker anchored off Kuwait was hit by a “large explosion”. The vessel was taking on water and oil was seen leaking from a cargo tank. It is unclear whether these reports are of the same incident.
Iran effectively closed the route this week after US missiles sank several Iranian ships. By Sunday, maritime traffic had dropped by 80 per cent, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence.
“Currently, the Strait of Hormuz is under the complete control of the Islamic Republic’s navy,” Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy official Mohammad Akbarzadeh said in a statement on Wednesday.
The IRGC threatened to set fire to any ships attempting to pass through the strait. US president Donald Trump said that US Navy forces would be deployed to escort oil tankers “if necessary”.
Experts have warned that global supply chains will face major disruption, and that restrictions to shipping could send oil prices well into triple digits.
Below, we look at why the strait is so strategically important.
The Strait of Hormuz lies between the Persian Gulf to the north and the Gulf of Oman to the south, opening up to the Arabian Sea and beyond to the rest of the world.
It is roughly 100 miles long, but only 21 miles across at its narrowest point.
The land-flanked passage lies in Iran’s territorial waters, but is viewed as an international waterway and is normally open to all ships. It consists of two shipping lanes allowing traffic to pass in opposite directions, each two miles wide, with another two-mile-wide lane separating them.
International law permits countries to exercise control up to 13.8 miles (12 nautical miles) from their coastline. At its narrowest point, the passage comes under both Iranian and Omani control.
