All articles tagged with #hormuz strait
U.S. officials say Iran laid mines in the Strait of Hormuz and cannot quickly locate or demine them, keeping the waterway largely closed, hindering traffic and complicating talks to end the war, while contributing to spikes in global oil prices and an energy crisis.
After a private Washington meeting, NATO says Trump was clearly disappointed that US allies refused to join the Iran war, even as a two-week ceasefire opened the Hormuz Strait. Trump has criticized NATO as a 'paper tiger' and floated leaving, but a 2023 law requires congressional approval to withdraw. Some allies limited cooperation during the conflict, while others backed post-ceasefire security plans as lawmakers defend the alliance.
Iran reportedly closed the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for Israeli strikes on Lebanon, saying safe passage would be allowed with coordination, while the two‑week ceasefire brokered with the US remains disputed over whether Lebanon is included. Washington says Lebanon isn’t part of the deal, even as Tehran and Pakistan argue it is, fueling diplomatic confusion as Israel intensifies strikes in Lebanon. Macron urged Lebanon’s inclusion for a credible ceasefire, and Trump’s rhetoric toward NATO adds a further layer of tension amid talks about reopening Hormuz and potential tolls.
Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli strikes on Lebanon, keeping the strategic waterway shut despite a two-week conditional US–Iran ceasefire. Tehran says safe passage will be granted only with permission and warned vessels passing without authorization would be targeted, while the White House stresses that Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire, underscoring a fragile pause in fighting amid broader regional tensions over Iran’s nuclear program.
President Trump criticized European allies for not backing his Iran war and suggested they may have to reopen the Strait of Hormuz themselves, signaling the conflict could end without U.S.-led reopening. The report notes several countries refused U.S. use of airspace or bases, while the U.K. and France offered limited cooperation and postwar maritime presence plans were discussed at the G7; Rubio said the U.S. would seek international escort after fighting subsides.
Oil prices are high, but U.S. drillers are holding back on expansion, choosing to repair balance sheets rather than drill more wells as geopolitical uncertainties, particularly the Strait of Hormuz disruptions, weigh on investment plans; a Dallas Fed Energy Survey shows profitability thresholds but only about 21% of operators expect to meaningfully increase drilling this year.
Amid ongoing diplomacy to end the Iran conflict, the U.S. has deployed thousands of Marines and paratroopers to the Middle East, signaling a potential limited ground move to pressure Tehran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Kharg Island is a likely target, among others in the Hormuz region, but officials say large-scale ground combat remains unlikely; the administration also considers options like recovering missing enriched uranium, all while risking escalation and economic disruption.
Stocks rose worldwide and oil slipped after reports of a 15-point Iranian peace framework and Tehran’s permission for non-hostile ships to pass the Strait of Hormuz, lifting supply fears. Oil hovered near $100 as markets in Asia, Europe and the US gained; fertiliser supply disruption and food security concerns were noted, gold pulled back from recent highs, and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink warned that sustained high oil could reach $150 a barrel and trigger a global recession.
The Iran war has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, choking about 20% of global oil supply and 90% of oil shipments to Asia, prompting Asian governments to curb energy use with work-from-home measures, holidays, and rationing. The Philippines declared an energy emergency; Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and India report fuel shortages and rising prices, hitting jeepney drivers, farmers, and restaurants with reduced income and longer queues at gas stations as authorities try to stabilize supplies.
Trump postponed a planned strike on Iran’s energy infrastructure after claiming productive talks with Tehran, a claim Iran denies; Turkey and Oman are quietly mediating, but Iranians fear the delay could be a strategic pause for a broader confrontation. The Revolutionary Guards warn of retaliation against Gulf energy and desalination facilities, with discussions about seizing Kharg Island in the Hormuz Strait. Experts note Iran’s dispersed grid makes a knockout attack difficult, yet the region faces severe humanitarian and economic risks from potential outages and further escalation.
Trump claimed that the US and Iran had “very good and productive conversations” suggesting major points of agreement and a delay to strikes, but Iran denied any talks since the bombing campaign began. With mediation efforts reported but no direct confirmations, the war persists, threats escalate, and oil markets worry as competing narratives about a possible deal emerge from Washington and Tehran.
IEA chief Fatih Birol warns that the Iran war, Hormuz Strait closures, and spillover from the Ukraine conflict have created a global energy crisis as severe as the 1970s oil shocks, threatening oil and gas supplies and cascading into petrochemicals and fertilisers. He notes significant damage to Gulf energy assets, the potential for further emergency oil releases, and stresses the need for coordinated, global demand- and supply-side measures rather than national stockpiling.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump discussed reopening the Strait of Hormuz amid the Iran conflict to help stabilise global energy markets; the issue was linked to a Cobra meeting on energy security and the cost of living, as Iran has blocked the strait since late February and oil prices have surged.
Trump signaled he might wind down the Iran conflict without reopening the Strait of Hormuz as U.S. strikes continue and thousands of Marines are deployed; officials say a definitive end isn’t imminent, allies largely declined to join a NATO-led effort to reopen Hormuz, and moving forward without solving the strait would leave oil-security risks and oil-price pressures on others to manage.
Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan say they are prepared to contribute to securing the Strait of Hormuz and supporting safe passage for global energy markets amid escalating tensions with Iran, though they have not outlined concrete commitments; despite attacks and disruptions, traffic continues selectively and oil prices rise as risk is reassessed.