Hormuz Conflict Risks 11 Million Barrels of Oil and Gulf Marine Ecosystems
The US-Iran conflict has intensified maritime warfare in the Strait of Hormuz, with recent strikes on oil tankers threatening environmental catastrophe. As of October 2026, 42 tankers are waiting to transit the strait, holding an estimated 1.76 million cubic meters of oil, equivalent to 11 percent of global daily demand. Since the war began, 75 ships have been attacked, resulting in 21 seafarer deaths and multiple fires. A major spill could contaminate coastlines, disrupt desalination plants serving 65 million people, and damage fragile marine ecosystems that have already suffered from chronic pollution since the 1980s.
