US Energy Secretary Chris Wright has put the world on notice: if diplomacy doesn’t reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the US military will.
The warning, delivered as peace negotiations with Iran remain unresolved, underscores just how dire the situation has become at the narrow waterway responsible for roughly 20-25% of global seaborne oil and LNG trade. Shipping traffic through the Strait has plummeted by 70-95% during the ongoing conflict.
What’s actually happening at the Strait
Disruptions began around late February 2026, triggering a cascading crisis in global shipping. Wright, the 17th US Secretary of Energy who was confirmed in February 2025, confirmed on May 10 that military operations had been paused at Iran’s request during peace negotiations. But he made clear that active clearing efforts are ongoing and the military stands ready to escalate.
Wright has acknowledged recovery timelines could stretch from weeks to many months even after hostilities cease. Reopening a strait requires mine clearance, security guarantees, insurance underwriting for commercial vessels, and the slow rebuilding of confidence among shipping operators who’ve been rerouting their fleets for weeks.
