Iran’s military command shut down the Strait of Hormuz on June 20, citing violations of a freshly signed ceasefire memorandum of understanding with the United States. The trigger: Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon that reportedly killed at least 32 people.
The ceasefire MoU was signed just days earlier, around June 18. It lasted roughly 48 hours before Iran declared it breached.
Why the Strait of Hormuz matters to everyone
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, and it handles roughly 20% of global oil trade. Every barrel that doesn’t pass through it has to find another, more expensive route, or simply doesn’t move at all.
This isn’t the first time Iran has played this card recently. The current crisis traces back to late February and March 2026, when Iran first began closing the strait in response to escalating regional tensions. Since then, the waterway has experienced repeated disruptions, turning what was once a theoretical threat into an operational reality.
