Strait of Hormuz
39 articles
Oil Eases on Trump's 'Quick End' Pledge as Hormuz Risk Stays Live
Crude softened after Trump reaffirmed he would end the Iran war 'very quickly,' but supertanker traffic, IRGC transit counts and a 'dramatic' Netanyahu call show the physical risk hasn't moved.
Putin and Xi Meet in Beijing as Xi Calls Mideast at 'Critical Juncture'
Putin and Xi met in Beijing on Wednesday, with Xi framing the Middle East as at a critical juncture between war and peace as Power of Siberia 2 talks advanced and Chinese tankers exited Hormuz.
Trump Says He Was an Hour From Iran Strike; Vance Floats Reset
Trump said he was an hour from resuming Iran strikes before pausing the offensive, as VP Vance signaled a US "reset" with Tehran and oil prices fell on the pause.
US Says 88 Commercial Vessels Diverted From Strait of Hormuz
US officials say 88 commercial vessels have been redirected away from the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Iran cycle, as crude reroutes around Africa and freight rates climb.
Iran Establishes Formal Authority to Govern Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Supreme National Security Council has created the Persian Gulf Strait Authority to manage Hormuz operations as Brent crude hits $111.50 and Trump threatens renewed strikes.
UAE Blames Iran for Barakah Drone Strike; Saudi Backs Abu Dhabi, Qatar Presses Hormuz
UAE explicitly attributes Saturday's drone fire near the Barakah nuclear plant to Iran or its proxies; Saudi Arabia backs UAE response measures while Qatar warns Tehran against weaponizing the Strait of Hormuz.
US Centcom Says 78 Vessels Redirected Under Iran Blockade
CENTCOM disclosed Saturday that 78 commercial ships have been redirected and four disabled in the Strait of Hormuz blockade, as Tehran moves to assert sovereignty over the waterway.
China and Iran Push Back on US-Backed Hormuz Resolution at UN
Beijing and Tehran moved to block a US- and Bahrain-backed UN Security Council resolution on the Strait of Hormuz, as Seoul and Abu Dhabi hedged against Iranian disruption.
Trump Vows Hormuz Stays Open as Iran Warns of Economic Pain
Trump pledged the Strait of Hormuz will not become an Iranian weapon while Tehran's foreign minister warned Americans of rising debt costs and senators broke with the president.
Gulf States and Asian Buyers Build the Structural Hormuz Workaround
While a European-led naval coalition forms to escort tankers, the UAE and Asian buyers are accelerating pipelines, LPG contracts, and reserve deals to permanently route around Iran's chokepoint.
Europe-Led Coalition Builds Destroyer-Drone Force to Pry Open Hormuz
A European naval coalition is assembling destroyers and uncrewed surface vessels to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, even as Tehran reasserts control of the waterway.
Iran Eases Hormuz Blockade as Talks Signals Emerge
Iran's Revolutionary Guards are allowing more ships through the Strait of Hormuz, state TV reported, the first partial easing since the blockade began after US-Israeli strikes.
China Sails Through, Russia Profits, India Bleeds: The Hormuz Oil Split
Chinese tankers resume Hormuz transit under apparent Iranian coordination as Russia's oil windfall grows and India's energy crisis deepens — reshaping global crude flows.
CENTCOM: Iran Navy Crippled, Proxy Network Cut Off
Adm. Brad Cooper told senators Iran's navy won't recover for 5–10 years and that Tehran possessed 60%-enriched uranium before the war began.
Iran Turns Hormuz Into a Bilateral Bargaining Chip
Iran is granting Strait of Hormuz passage case-by-case, creating a two-tier oil market while running a parallel dark-fleet operation in Malaysian waters.
Iran Seizes 'Floating Armoury' Ship, Demands Hormuz Compliance
Iran has seized a vessel described as a floating armoury near UAE waters and warned all ships entering the Strait of Hormuz must cooperate with its navy.
China's Price for Iran Help: Cancel the Taiwan Arms Deal
Beijing is pressing Trump to shelve a $14 billion congressional arms package for Taiwan in exchange for using its leverage over Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
IEA: Global Oil Inventories Draining at Record Pace
Global oil stocks fell 117 million barrels in April alone as the Hormuz blockade cuts 14 mb/d of supply, the IEA says, with Brent holding near $106/bbl.
Saudi Aramco Posts Record Profit as Hormuz War Drives Oil to $107
Saudi Arabia's state oil giant earned $32.5 billion in Q1 2026, up 25% year-on-year, as Strait of Hormuz combat keeps Brent above $100 and war-risk insurance premiums at 8–10x pre-war levels.
Trump calls Iran's reply 'TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE' as Khamenei orders military to 'confront the enemy'
Hours after Iran submitted its ceasefire reply via Pakistan, Trump threatened resumed bombing and Khamenei issued fresh combat directives, pushing talks to the edge.
Qatar LNG Tanker Clears Hormuz in Wartime First, Hours Before Strike off Doha
Iran ran two parallel signals Sunday — clearing the QatarEnergy carrier Al Kharaitiyat for Pakistan under a Pakistan-mediated deal, then striking a UAE-flagged bulker northeast of Doha.
UAE air defenses engage Iranian missiles, drones; three wounded
The UAE Defense Ministry said its air defenses engaged two Iranian ballistic missiles and three drones, the first acknowledged Iranian strike on Emirati territory in the current escalation.
Aramco, ADNOC run tankers through Hormuz with AIS off as blockade hardens
Saudi and Emirati oil majors are quietly moving crude and LNG through the Strait of Hormuz with transponders dark, Bloomberg reports, as US Navy interdictions and Iranian threats squeeze legitimate shipping to a trickle.
US Navy Strikes Disable Two Iranian Tankers in Gulf of Oman
CENTCOM released video of precision strikes crippling the M/T Sea Star III and M/T Sevda near the Strait of Hormuz; Iran condemned the action as a ceasefire violation.
Chinese Tanker Hit Near UAE Complicates Beijing's Stance
A cruise missile struck the Chinese-owned JV Innovation near the UAE on May 7, the first Chinese vessel hit in the 2026 Hormuz crisis, putting Beijing's neutrality under direct pressure ahead of the May 14 Trump-Xi summit.
Brent Crude Drops 8.6% to $106 on Iran Deal Optimism
Brent fell $10 to $106.52/barrel and WTI neared $93 as traders priced out conflict risk on reports of an imminent US-Iran nuclear framework agreement.
US and Iran Near One-Page MOU; Nuclear Moratorium in Dispute
Washington and Tehran are closing in on a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war, but the duration of a nuclear enrichment moratorium remains the central unresolved dispute, according to Axios.
Trump Pauses Hormuz Escort Operation, Cites Deal Progress
President Trump halted 'Project Freedom' military escorts through the Strait of Hormuz, saying Iran nuclear talks are making 'great progress' toward a final agreement.
Iran Demands Hormuz Permits as Trump Pauses Naval Escorts
Tehran's new Persian Gulf Strait Authority requires foreign ships to obtain transit permits before entering the strait, directly challenging the US position that Hormuz is international waters.
Iran Strikes UAE for First Time Since Ceasefire, Fujairah Refinery Burns
Iran attacked the UAE on May 4 for the first time since the April 8 ceasefire, igniting a fire at the Fujairah oil export hub and striking an ADNOC tanker — threatening the last major bypass route for Gulf crude.
Hegseth Affirms Ceasefire as Iran Warns of 'New Equation'
Defense Secretary says US-Iran ceasefire holds despite 10+ attacks on US forces, as Iranian parliament speaker warns Tehran has 'not even begun' its Hormuz response.
USS Truxtun and Mason Transit Hormuz Under Iranian Fire
Two US Navy destroyers completed a contested Strait of Hormuz transit Tuesday as Iran struck UAE oil infrastructure and 170 million barrels of tanker cargo remain bottled up.
CENTCOM Briefs Trump on Iran Strike Options, Including Hormuz Seizure
CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper briefed Trump for 45 minutes on May 1 on strike packages including a Hormuz seizure plan and a special forces uranium operation.
Brent Crude Falls to $108 on Iran Peace Signal
Brent crude settled at $108.17 Friday as Iran peace-talk optimism trimmed a $126 peak, but Hormuz war-risk insurance remains effectively closed and the nuclear file unresolved.
GCC Leaders Demand Permanent Hormuz Settlement at Jeddah Summit
Gulf Cooperation Council heads of state met in Jeddah for their first in-person summit since the war began, calling for a permanent Hormuz navigation agreement as Iran's latest proposal was rejected by the US.
Putin Backs Iran as Araghchi Visits St. Petersburg
Russia pledged full support to Iran as Foreign Minister Araghchi met Putin in St. Petersburg, deepening the diplomatic rift over the U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
UAE Quits OPEC on May 1, Stripping Cartel of No. 3 Producer
The UAE announced its exit from OPEC effective May 1, removing the cartel's third-largest producer as Brent crude trades above $114 amid a closed Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz playbook: what the 1979 parallel actually tells us
Every Iran flare-up gets compared to 1979. The comparison is more useful — and more limited — than most coverage admits. Here's what the historical record actually shows about oil, escalation, and where the off-ramps lie.
What is the Strait of Hormuz? A no-jargon explainer
Why a 21-mile stretch of water between Iran and Oman moves oil prices, defense stocks, and gasoline futures every time tensions flare. The geography, the chokepoint dynamic, and the realistic closure scenarios.