Kingston (Canada): The joint attack launched by the United States and Israel on Iran began on February 27 and has sparked a fast-moving conflict that could expand across the Middle East.
Iran’s response has already included strikes on US bases in surrounding countries as far away as Qatar and Oman, and has announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, going so far as threatening to set ships on fire if they enter the strait.
The Strait of Hormuz sits between Iran and Oman, acting as the only sea exit from the Persian Gulf into the Arabian Sea and the wider Indian Ocean. On one side is Iran. On the other hand are Gulf countries such as the UAE and Oman. But the real story isn’t geography – it’s traffic.
Almost every oil tanker leaving major energy producers such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar must pass through this route before heading to Asia, Europe, or beyond.At its narrowest point, the strait is barely 33 kilometres wide. The shipping lanes used by giant tankers are even tighter.
It looks small on a map. But economically, it’s one of the most important places on Earth.
Because energy flows through it. A lot of energy.
Roughly one out of every five barrels of oil traded globally travels through the Strait of Hormuz. Huge volumes of liquefied natural gas, especially from Qatar, also depend on it.
So when ships move normally, the world barely notices.
But when movement slows – or stops – markets react within hours.
Oil becomes harder to transport. Prices climb. Shipping costs rise. Airlines pay more for fuel. And eventually, consumers feel it at petrol pumps and grocery stores.
