Why is the Strait of Hormuz so important in the Iran-Israel conflict and which country controls the area?
It is the only route for moving oil from the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world’s oceans. Currently, the waters are controlled by Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman.
In recent hours, the United States has attacked Iran, as confirmed by President Donald Trump in a statement. This action intensifies the regional conflict following the operation carried out by Israel a few days ago and Iran’s subsequent response.
“We have successfully completed our strike on Iran’s three nuclear facilities, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. All aircraft are now out of Iranian airspace.
A full payload of bombs was dropped on the main facility, Fordow. All planes are returning home safely,” shared President Trump on his social media.
Amid fears of a possible global escalation of war, one question arises: what role does the Strait of Hormuz play? A few days ago, Bloomberg reported an increase in Iran’s oil exports despite Israeli attacks.This information, supported by various satellite images, shows Iran’s strategy to endure the assaults from Israel, and now from the United States.
Iran is estimated to have the capacity to store around 28 million barrels of crude on Kharg Island, the tiny island from which Iran exports its oil, according to a 2024 report by S&P Global Commodity Insights.
Since the start of Israeli attacks, Iran has exported an average of 2.33 million barrels per day, according to TankerTrackers.com — a 44% increase compared to the year’s average through June 14.
Now, its next move could be to block the Strait of Hormuz, a threat that several Iranian leaders have hinted at.
This ace up Iran’s sleeve would be the most likely method to disrupt maritime traffic, something that already occurred during the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988).
Vital to the oil market
This is a narrow channel connecting southern Oman to northern Iran, making it one of the most important and strategic maritime passages in the world.
It is the only way to transport oil from the Persian Gulf to the open oceans, and although its traffic is limited to two lanes just 3 km wide, about one-fifth of global oil production flows through its waters, according to the BBC.Because of this, any threat to the Strait of Hormuz — from potential resource theft to drone attacks — could have a direct impact on the oil market.
Based on 2019 U.S. sanctions data that halted traffic, cited by the Washington Post, it is estimated that if this route were fully blocked, the global oil supply would drop by 20% at minimum.
Who controls it?
Currently, the Strait of Hormuz is controlled by the UAE, Oman, and Iran, all members of OPEC+. However, this area has long been a point of geopolitical tension due to its importance.In 2008, Iranian officials threatened to seize ships in the strait if they were attacked.
Later, in 2011, Iran also threatened to block traffic in retaliation for U.S. and EU sanctions.More recently, in 2023, the U.S. Department of Defense announced an increased military presence in the Persian Gulf after Iran attempted to seize two merchant ships.
In short, this is a high-conflict zone where the U.S. has already made its move.
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