<h3>Overview</h3> <p>Since <strong>late February 2026</strong>, the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, through which a significant share of the world’s oil passes (GS3: Economy)">Strait of Hormuz</span> has become the flashpoint of a deepening energy and security crisis. The tension escalated after <span class="key-term" data-definition="45th President of the United States (2021‑2025), whose foreign‑policy decisions impact global geopolitics (GS2: Polity)">President Donald Trump</span> ordered a <span class="key-term" data-definition="Use of naval forces to prevent ships from entering or leaving ports, often employed as a coercive tool in international disputes (GS2: Polity)">U.S. naval blockade</span> of vessels bound for or from <span class="key-term" data-definition="Islamic Republic in the Middle East, a major oil‑producing nation and regional power (GS2: Polity)">Iran</span>. The move followed U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, prompting Tehran to tighten restrictions on the waterway.</p> <h3>Key Developments</h3> <ul> <li>U.S. forces began intercepting and turning back commercial tankers heading to Iranian ports, effectively creating a blockade.</li> <li>The <span class="key-term" data-definition="Intergovernmental organization that monitors global energy markets and advises governments on policy (GS3: Economy)">International Energy Agency (IEA)</span> warned that the disruption is “more severe than the oil shocks of the 1970s.”</li> <li>Daily transits fell dramatically from roughly <strong>130 vessels</strong> to only a handful on several days.</li> <li>A tentative cease‑fire in <strong>April 2026</strong> allowed a limited number of ships to pass, but the threat of renewed hostilities keeps most tankers away.</li> </ul> <h3>Important Facts</h3> <p>The blockade has immediate repercussions for <strong>global energy flows</strong>. Oil prices spiked as markets reacted to the reduced supply route, echoing the price volatility experienced during the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Period of severe oil price increases in the 1970s that led to economic stagflation worldwide (GS3: Economy)">1970s oil shocks</span>. The IEA’s assessment underscores the strategic importance of the strait, which carries about <strong>20 % of the world’s petroleum</strong>. Even a short‑term reduction in tanker traffic can ripple through economies dependent on oil imports.</p> <h3>UPSC Relevance</h3> <p>Understanding this crisis is vital for several UPSC dimensions:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Geopolitics (GS2)</strong>: The incident illustrates how maritime chokepoints influence power dynamics in the Middle East and affect India’s energy security.</li> <li><strong>Energy Economics (GS3)</strong>: The sharp decline in oil transit volumes demonstrates supply‑side shocks and their impact on global price stability.</li> <li><strong>International Organisations (GS3)</strong>: The IEA’s rol