Strait of Hormuz

March 17, 2026 9:37 AM

Gulf states press US to neutralise Iran for good as Hormuz crisis deepens

Gulf Arab states did not ask the U.S. to go to war with Iran, but many are now urging it not to stop short by leaving the Islamic Republic still able to threaten the Gulf’s oil lifeline and the economies that depend on it, three Gulf sources told Reuters. At the same time, these sources and five Western and Arab diplomats said Washington was pressing Gulf states to join the U.S.-Israeli war. According to three of them, President Donald Trump wants to show regional backing for the campaign, to...

March 16, 2026 12:56 PM

Trump demands other countries help secure vital Strait of Hormuz as Iran vows defiance

U.S. President Donald Trump's demands for a coalition to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz appeared to fall on deaf ears on Monday as allies Japan and Australia said they were not planning to send navy vessels to the Middle East to escort ships through the vital waterway. With the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran creating turmoil across the Middle East and shaking up global energy markets in its third week, Trumpon Sunday insisted that nations relying heavily on oil from the Gulf have a responsibility t...

March 14, 2026 9:35 AM

Iran operations ‘going very well’, US delivering ‘big hits’: Trump

US President Donald Trump said military operations against Iran were “going very well” and claimed American forces had delivered “very big hits” as the conflict intensified across the Middle East. Speaking briefly to reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Friday, Trump described the military campaign as successful and suggested Iran’s capabilities had been severely degraded. “The situation in Iran is going very well. A lot of big hits today. A lot of big wins today, as you probably hav...

March 13, 2026 11:03 PM

Explainer: Why is it so easy for Iran to shut the Strait of Hormuz?

Following through on an old threat, Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off a vital waterway that normally carries about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, in retaliation for U.S.-Israeli strikes. As oil markets worry about a global energy crisis, the United States has said it may consider escorting vessels through the strait, which could prove very hard to secure - something Yemen's Houthis proved in disrupting Red Sea shipping last year. About a f...

March 13, 2026 9:40 PM

Trump tells Fox News US would escort ships in Strait of Hormuz ‘if needed’

President Donald Trump said the United States would escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz if needed, adding in a Fox News interview that aired on Friday that the U.S. would strike Iran "very hard over the next week." Asked about helping oil tankers pass through the key shipping strait, Trump said: "We would do it if we needed to. But, you know, hopefully things are going to go very well. We're going to see what happens." He gave no other details. "We're going to be hitting them very hard...

March 12, 2026 10:07 PM

West Asia crisis: Government takes coordinated measures to ensure energy security, maritime safety and welfare of Indian nationals

The Centre on Thursday said it is taking coordinated steps across multiple ministries to ensure energy security, maritime safety and the welfare of Indian nationals abroad amid the ongoing crisis in West Asia. Senior officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting briefed the media in New Delhi on measures being taken to maintain fuel supplies, ensure maritime safety an...

March 12, 2026 10:04 AM

West Asia conflict enters day 12 as Strait of Hormuz tensions escalate

The conflict in West Asia has entered its twelfth day, with the past several hours witnessing some of the most serious escalations so far, particularly around maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States Pentagon says American forces destroyed sixteen Iranian boats believed to be involved in laying naval mines in the strait after reports that Tehran had begun deploying explosive devices that could block one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes. The development comes...

March 11, 2026 10:44 AM

What are the challenges in securing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz?

The Pentagon is looking at ways to escort ships safely through the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine said on Tuesday. About a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes through the strait but Iran, which lies on its northern coast, has effectively closed it. Traffic through the strait has dropped by 97% since the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran began on February 28, according to United Nations data. The U.S. is seeking to calm oil m...

March 2, 2026 9:32 PM

EU calls gas supply group meeting in response to Iran conflict

The European Union's gas supply coordination group will meet on Wednesday to discuss the impact of the expanding conflict in the Middle East, a European Commission spokesperson told Reuters after European gas prices leapt by more than 50%. The gas coordination group includes representatives from EU governments, monitors gas storage and security of supply, and coordinates response measures during crises. The EU's oil coordination group will also meet within 48 hours. Earlier on Monday, a spokes...

March 1, 2026 12:23 PM

What is the Strait of Hormuz and why is it so important for oil?

The United States and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday in a development that could lead to a closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil export route, for days. Below are details about the strait: WHAT IS THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ? The strait lies between Oman and Iran and links the Gulf north of it with the Gulf of Oman to the south and the Arabian Sea beyond. It is 21 miles (33 km) wide at its narrowest point, with the shipping lane just 2 miles (3 km) wide in either direction. WHY DOES IT MAT...