Strategic Importance of the Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz, narrowing to about 33 km (21 miles), connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and serves as a crucial international shipping route. It handles supertankers transporting oil and gas from Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE, and Iran, most of which is exported to Asian markets like China. Although Iran and Oman control parts of the strait, it remains open to global shipping.