Experts call the Strait of Hormuz “one of the most important chokepoints in the global energy system.”
It’s also one of the most important assets in the Iran War.
“The Strait of Hormuz is the epicenter of this whole conflict,” said Jonathan Rock Rokem, associate professor of politics and sustainability at Northeastern University London. “That’s where the zero-sum end game starts and ends.”
But what is this strait and why is it so important?
Northeastern Global News spoke with experts on supply chains, geopolitics and the Middle East on why the Strait of Hormuz is dominating headlines and why control of the waterway has implications from Tehran to Beijing to Wall Street.
What is the Strait of Hormuz?
The Strait of Hormuz is located between Oman and the United Arab Emirates to the south and Iran to the north, and it connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is the only sea passage in and out of the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.
At its narrowest point, the strait is roughly 35 miles wide, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. Its shipping lane, however, is even narrower: only 2 miles wide in either direction, separated by a 2-mile buffer zone.
Nevertheless, the strait is wide enough and deep enough to handle the largest crude oil tankers, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, an organization that says it collects, analyzes, and disseminates independent and impartial energy information. This makes the strait one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes for crude oil – with approximately 20% of the world’s oil trade passing through the waterway. In 2025, nearly 20 million barrels per day of oil moved through the strait.
