📈 Hormuz Under Siege: How War Disrupted the World's Most Critical Oil Chokepoint

Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz collapsed after the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran on February 28, 2026, disrupting a shipping route that normally carries about 20% of global seaborne oil trade. A two-week ceasefire in April allowed only limited traffic to resume, while a broader ceasefire on June 8 and the U.S.–Iran Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 17 drove a stronger recovery. However, the truce unraveled on July 8, when renewed attacks on commercial shipping triggered fresh U.S. military action and sanctions, causing tanker traffic to fall once again. Even during the recovery, monthly transits remained well below the ~1,500 vessels seen under normal conditions, highlighting the world's continued dependence on this critical energy chokepoint.