The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil and liquefied natural gas once flowed daily, has been reduced to near-silence. Shipping traffic has collapsed to roughly 5% of pre-war levels, prompting the International Energy Agency to describe the disruption in terms without modern historical precedent.
Global shipping intelligence firm Lloyd’s List reported that Iran had launched a new Persian Gulf Strait Authority to approve ship transits and collect tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, positioning itself as the only valid authority to grant passage and that as of its latest briefing, the strait was closed, with no transits recorded since 4 May.
The closure traces back to 28 February, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In retaliation, the IRGC issued warnings forbidding passage, boarded and attacked merchant ships, and laid sea mines across the waterway. What began as a military response has since calcified into an economic siege.
The US responded with its own counter-blockade on Iranian ports from 13 April, and later initiated “Operation Project Freedom” to guide stranded vessels out of the Gulf, before pausing it on 6 May citing progress in Pakistan-mediated talks. A CMA CGM container ship was struck by an Iranian attack as recently as 7 May, underscoring how volatile conditions remain.
The result is what analysts have described as a dual blockade: Iran controls inbound transit through the strait while the US prevents any vessel from entering or leaving Iranian ports. The total number of Iranian ships turned around by the US blockade surpassed 48 over a recent 20-day period, according to US Central Command.
The human cost at sea has been substantial. At least one tugboat has been sunk, seventeen merchant ships damaged seven of them abandoned two vessels captured, and twelve seafarers killed or reported missing.
The economic ripple has been global. Qatar’s LNG capacity has been severely impaired, Gulf desalination plants have been struck, and oil prices surged before partially retreating on ceasefire hopes. China and Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for freedom of navigation. With talks ongoing but unresolved, the strait remains the most consequential 34 kilometres of water on the planet.
