Iran Strait Blockade Disrupts Global Energy Trade

A six-week conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran has disrupted global energy supplies and triggered widespread economic fallout, with Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz halting shipments of oil, natural gas, and critical industrial materials. The strait, a vital chokepoint for about 20 percent of the world's oil and 30 percent of its liquefied natural gas trade, remains largely closed to vessels linked to the U.S. or Israel, even as a fragile two-week ceasefire took effect this week following intense diplomatic pressure.

The war began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, prompting Tehran to enforce the blockade as a retaliatory measure. Iranian officials have tied the strait's status to broader regional stability, demanding a comprehensive ceasefire in Lebanon before resuming normal maritime traffic. Recent Israeli operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon have strained the truce, with Iran claiming violations of its proposed 10-point agreement, which Washington has accepted in principle. Key terms include commitments to nonaggression, lifting of sanctions, recognition of Iran's uranium enrichment, and withdrawal of U.S. forces from the region....