By Megan Cerullo
Updated March 2, 2026 / CBS News
U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran have focused attention on the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow but vital waterway that moves a large share of the world’s oil supplies. Since hostilities began, marine traffic through the strait has slowed to a trickle, raising concerns that the conflict could constrain oil supplies and push energy prices higher.
The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations Center reported attacks on several vessels around the strait and warned of increased electronic interference with ship navigation systems. Kevin Book, managing director at Clearview Energy Partners, said infrastructure across the region is at risk not only from deliberate strikes but from debris and shrapnel from missile interceptions that can damage facilities.
What is the Strait of Hormuz?
The Strait of Hormuz sits on Iran’s southern border and links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Roughly 100 miles long and about 21 miles wide at its narrowest, it normally carries about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Major oil exporters whose crude flows through the strait include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and Iran, making the passage a strategic choke point for global energy markets.
What is happening now?
The conflict has effectively halted routine tanker transits. Shipping giants Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd announced suspensions of shipments through the strait. Oil prices spiked on worries that a prolonged disruption could sharply boost fuel costs, including at the pump in the U.S.
“It is de facto closed in that no one dares to go through,” said Arne Lohmann Rasmussen, chief analyst at Global Risk Management. He noted that threats from Iran and ongoing drone and missile attacks mean tankers are avoiding the route, while insurance is either unavailable or prohibitively expensive.
How long the stoppage lasts is a key unknown. S&P Global’s head of crude oil research, Jim Burkhard, warned that if tanker traffic reduction persists beyond a week it would be historic; longer disruptions could be epochal for the oil market, driving prices higher, rationing supply and causing financial-market impacts.
How high could oil go?
Analysts say Iran’s ability to sustain a full, long-term closure is limited—its navy and military capabilities have been degraded by U.S. and Israeli action, and blocking its own oil exports would harm Iran’s fragile economy. Kevin Book noted Iran could harass ships or lay mines, but sustaining either without a strong navy would be difficult.
Still, an extended closure could send prices into the triple digits per barrel, Rasmussen said, and potentially drag on the global economy or trigger a recession. Counterbalancing factors include current U.S. production and reserves. Benny Wong, senior energy analyst at PitchBook, pointed out that the U.S. is the world’s largest oil producer and has built up stocks, while global demand has been relatively soft—factors that could blunt price spikes if the disruption is short-lived.
Are there alternatives to the strait?
Some crude can be rerouted via pipelines such as Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline (Petroline), which runs to Red Sea ports, or the roughly 400-mile Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline to the Gulf of Oman. But experts say these alternatives can carry only a fraction of the volume that transits the Strait of Hormuz; there are no meaningful substitutes for the strait’s full flow.
Edited by Alain Sherter
The Associated Press contributed to this report.