US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said shipping through the Strait of Hormuz could resume very quickly if Iran halts its naval blockade threatening international navigation, with a massive disruption in the maritime corridor, heavily impeding oil and gas supplies globally, causing prices in the energy sector to skyrocket.
“It could be open tomorrow if Iran stops threatening global shipping,” Rubio told reporters on Thursday, according to the State Department. He declined to say whether Washington might consider a ground operation to restore access.
The strait — through which roughly 20 per cent of global oil and gas supplies normally pass — has been severely disrupted since the war began on February 28, tightening energy markets and driving price volatility.
The crisis escalated after the US and Israel jointly launched coordinated strikes on Iranian targets, including in Tehran, eliminating a big section of the Islamic Republic’s senior-most leadership.
In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched missiles and drone attacks on Israeli territory and US military facilities across Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.
Tehran has since restricted access to Hormuz for vessels linked to the US and its allies, with several tankers reportedly targeted while attempting to transit.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently confirmed that limited transit will be taking place via the strait, as ships from select “friendly” countries, which include Russia, India, China, Iraq, and Pakistan, will be allowed to pass, with Iran further using its grip on the waterway as a strategic leverage against countries it identifies as enemy states.
