More than 20 percent of the world’s oil exports pass through a waterway only 24 miles wide at its narrowest point. That waterway, the Strait of Hormuz, has become increasingly unstable amid ongoing conflict involving Iran. As commercial traffic through the Strait rapidly declines, fears of fuel shortages and economic instability continue to grow. Yet long before oil tankers came to define the Strait, it stood at the center of global trade, empire, and geopolitical rivalry—a history that explains why this narrow passage remains one of the world’s most strategic locations today,
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman.
Historically, the Strait of Hormuz served as a gateway between the resource-rich civilization of Mesopotamia and the vast markets of the Indus Valley and beyond. With the rise of Islam in the 7th century CE, the Strait played a vital role as the primary sea route linking the heart of the Islamic world with India, East Africa, Southeast Asia, and even China. By the 10th century, the city of Hormuz relocated to what is now known as Hormuz Island for defensive purposes. This relocation allowed it to take advantage of the narrowness of the Strait, control maritime traffic, and avoid raids by nomadic groups, eventually becoming one of the most prosperous ports in the Islamic world. Hormuz became known not only for its strategic location but also for its cosmopolitan culture, where Arab, Persian, Indian, and African influences blend.
Functioning as a commercial gateway for over a millennium, the Strait became a focal point of imperial rivalry in the early 16th century as Western powers rose due to their superiority in naval technology. The Portuguese seized and militarized it until an alliance between the Safavid Persian Empire and the British East India Company drove them out. The British later emerged as the dominant power in the region, governing through European maritime law and colonial policy while connecting regional economies to the emerging global trade networks.
The discovery of oil, however, transformed the Strait of Hormuz into a globally recognized chokepoint. Crude oil produced in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and other countries must pass through it to reach global markets. During the Iran-Iraq War, both nations, unable to defeat each other on land, turned to targeting oil tankers and merchant vessels to undermine each other’s economies. Iraq used missiles and aircraft with Western support, while Iran retaliated by targeting ships belonging to Iraq’s allies. As one of those allies, Kuwait requested protection from the United States. The U.S. responded with Operation Earnest Will, under which Kuwait oil tankers were escorted by the U.S. Navy. This marked the formal entry of the United States into Persian Gulf maritime security and contributed to the ongoing tension between Iran and the U.S.
After decades of threatening to seal off the Strait of Hormuz, Iran finally took action in 2026 following airstrikes and the assassination of several Iranian officials by the U.S. and Israel. More than 20 percent of global oil and liquified natural gas exports pass through the Strait, and about four-fifths of them go to importing countries in Asia. Previously, around 3,000 vessels passed through the Strait each month, but only 154 vessels did so in March. This disruption has affected global trade and led to significant fuel shortages in Asia.
Overall, the Strait of Hormuz has historically been integral in terms of access to resources, global trade networks, and geopolitics. However, it has transitioned from an international hub of culture and commerce into a focal point of conflict and warfare. Throughout history, control over strategic locations has often come with responsibility and risk. While human greed continues to drive conflicts over such regions, reflecting on how peaceful and prosperous the Strait once was may inspire a different approach to current struggles.
