The Strait of Hormuz

May 4, 2026 9:25 AM

Trump says US to help ships stranded in Strait of Hormuz as tanker hit by projectiles

A tanker reported being hit by unknown projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime security organisation said on Monday, shortly after President Donald Trump said the U.S. would start helping free ships stranded in the Gulf by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Trump provided few details about the plan, which he said would start on Monday to aid ships and their crews that have been "locked up" in the vital waterway and are running low on food and other supplies. "We have told these Countries ...

April 29, 2026 9:21 AM

UAE Announces Exit from OPEC, Citing Strategic Energy Shift

The United Arab Emirates has announced it will exit the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and the broader OPEC+ alliance, with the decision taking effect from May 1, 2026. The move follows a comprehensive review of national production policy, capacity, and long-term economic priorities. Authorities say the decision reflects the country’s evolving energy profile and its aim to enhance flexibility in responding to global market dynamics. In a statement, the UAE said the step is ...

April 28, 2026 3:36 PM

EXPLAINER-The Hormuz digital chokepoint: How does the Iran war threaten subsea cables?

Iran warned last week that submarine cables in the Strait of Hormuz were a vulnerable point for the region's digital economy, raising concerns about potential attacks on critical infrastructure. The narrow waterway, already a chokepoint for global oil shipments, is equally vital for the digital world. Several fibre-optic cables snake across the seabed of the strait, connecting countries from India and Southeast Asia to Europe via the Gulf states and Egypt. WHAT MAKES UNDERSEA CABLES IMPORTANT?...

April 23, 2026 10:38 PM

Iran shows off its control over strait, Israel warns of further attacks

Iran flaunted its tightened grip over the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday with video of its commandos storming a huge cargo ship, after the collapse of peace talks that Washington had hoped would open the world's most important shipping corridor. Iranian state television broadcast footage overnight of masked troops pulling up in a grey speedboat alongside the MSC Francesca, climbing a rope ladder to a shell door in the hull and jumping through brandishing rifles. The footage, presented with an ac...

April 22, 2026 2:44 PM

Three vessels hit by gunfire in Strait of Hormuz, crews safe

At least three container ships were hit by gunfire in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, maritime security sources and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said. Iran has imposed restrictions on ships using the strait, first in retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli bombardment of the country, and then in response to a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. A Liberia-flagged container ship sustained damage to its bridge after being hit by gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades northeast of O...

April 8, 2026 9:26 AM

Oil slides below $100, stocks jump after two-week ceasefire agreed

Oil prices dived, stocks surged and the dollar was knocked back on Wednesday as a two-week Middle East ceasefire sparked a relief rally, fuelled by hopes that oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz could resume. The news capped weeks of market volatility and geopolitical upheaval after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran at the end of February pushed tensions to the brink, with Tehran effectively choking off the strategic waterway that typically carries about 20% of the world’s oil and g...

April 3, 2026 9:16 AM

UN to vote on Hormuz resolution as China opposes authorization of force

The U.N. Security Council is to vote on a Bahraini resolution to protect commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, diplomats said on Friday, but veto-wielding China made clear its opposition to authorizing any use of force. Two diplomats said the meeting of the Council's 15 members and the vote were set for Saturday morning, rather than Friday as earlier planned. Friday is a U.N. holiday. Oil prices have surged since the United States and Israel struck Iran at the end of February...

March 11, 2026 1:39 PM

Hormuz disruption threatens global oil supplies

The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy routes, is facing severe disruption as tensions escalate in West Asia. The narrow waterway lies between Iran to the north and the Musandam Peninsula to the south, a territory shared by Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Stretching about 178 kilometres in length and narrowing to roughly 39 kilometres at its tightest point, the strait carries around 20 million barrels of oil each day under normal conditions. That accounts for nearly o...