STRAIT OF HORMUZ

NEWS: Iran temporarily shut parts of the Strait of Hormuz to conduct live-fire military drills named “Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz.”

ABOUT

• Oil transit chokepoint.
• It is a narrow maritime passage that serves as the only sea exit for the Persian Gulf, linking it to the Gulf of Oman and the open ocean.
• It is situated in the Middle East, separating the northern coast of Iran from the Arabian Peninsula.
• Links the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean through the Gulf of Oman.
• Iran maintains a heavy military presence on islands like Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs, which allow for de facto control over the shipping channels.
• Approximately 167 km long and only 33 km wide at its narrowest point