The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that links the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea, has long served as a conduit for commerce between the Middle East and the rest of the world. Its geographic configuration—a constriction of only about 21 kilometers at its narrowest point—has made it a natural chokepoint throughout history.

In the early 20th century, the discovery of vast oil reserves in neighboring regions amplified the strait’s strategic value. By the 1950s, the majority of the world’s oil traffic was passing through its shallow banks, cementing its status as a linchpin of global energy supply.