Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage vital to global energy flows, has continued to disrupt shipping and drive up costs well beyond the Middle East. The disruption has left thousands of ships and mariners stranded in the Persian Gulf, while risks of broader impacts—including hunger concerns tied to fuel and fertilizer shipments—have risen as the strait remains effectively closed, according to an Associated Press tally.
The standoff intensified after the United States and Israel attacked the area on Feb. 28, AP reported. The U.S. later imposed a naval blockade, but Iran’s grip has persisted, with Iran saying it would only reopen the strait if the war ends and the blockade is lifted. The United States, including President Donald Trump, has sought wider concessions, AP reported, including rollback of Iran’s disputed nuclear program.
The strait’s geography helps explain its leverage. At its narrowest point between Iran and Oman, the passage is about 21 miles (34 kilometers) wide and bends like an elbow, forcing ships into narrow lanes as they navigate shallow water, AP reported.
Before the hostilities, roughly 20% of the world’s traded oil typically flowed through the strait each day, along with large supplies of natural gas, fertilizer and other petroleum products, AP reported. The disruption has cut into normal transit patterns: Lloyd’s List Intelligence counted 100 to 130 ships passing through the strait each day before the war began, and 534 ships believed to have transited between the start of hostilities and May 4—far below what would be expected in normal times.
Higher prices and shipping costs have followed the disruption. AAA said the average price of a gallon of gas in the United States rose 50% since the war began, reaching $4.56 on Thursday. AP also reported that the strait closure has nearly doubled the cost of jet fuel, and that shipping insurance rates have jumped from about 1% of the ship’s goods to as much as 10%, according to shipping experts cited by AP.
The maritime risks include fatalities and attacks recorded by international agencies. The Associated Press reported that the U.N.’s International Maritime Organization said 10 mariners have been killed since the Iran war began and that 32 ships have come under attack. The U.S. military, AP reported, said 1,550 vessels from 87 countries were stranded in the Persian Gulf, with 22,500 mariners aboard, including many from South and Southeast Asia.
The economic fallout is also reaching food security, AP reported. The U.N. World Food Program said up to 45 million people could experience hunger, mostly in Asia and Africa, if the strait does not open soon, warning that blocking fuel and fertilizer shipments could push the price of food and other necessities out of reach for people already in precarious situations.
At the same time, U.S. attempts to keep shipping moving have been limited. AP reported that the U.S. military said 15,000 U.S. soldiers, accompanied by 100 aircraft, were committed to enforce “Project Freedom,” and that the initiative to guide ships through the strait was paused on Tuesday—two days after Trump announced it. AP also reported that the U.S. said it had successfully guided two ships through the strait as part of Project Freedom.