Iran temporarily closed parts of the Strait of Hormuz to conduct live-fire naval drills (“Smart Control”), marking a rare, high-stakes signal amid rising tensions with the U.S.. Although only for several hours, this action in the vital 33km-wide chokepoint—which carries 20% of global oil—heightened fears of a wider conflict
The Iranian state media said on Tuesday, February 17 that navigation through sections of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, would be temporarily restricted. The waterway was closed for several hours due to military drills, a move that comes as U.S. talks with Tehran begin in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Strait of Hormuz is critical to global energy flows, with much of the world’s oil and gas shipments passing through the shipping lane. Even short disruptions can heighten market anxiety and reroute vessel traffic, according to shipping experts.
“There is no alternative route to the Strait of Hormuz,” said Jakob Larsen, chief safety and security officer at shipping association Bimco, in a piece by The National. He said that recent regional instability has already forced vessels to divert, pointing to a sharp decline in Red Sea and Bab Al Mandeb traffic following Houthi attacks.