Iran carried out live-fire military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday and temporarily restricted maritime traffic through parts of the crucial waterway, intensifying global concerns about energy security amid escalating tensions with the United States. The drills, conducted in one of the world’s most strategically sensitive shipping corridors, prompted renewed fears of disruption to international oil supplies.
According to semi-official Iranian media reports, the exercises involved missile launches at the narrow entrance of the Persian Gulf, with authorities citing safety and navigational concerns as the reason for temporarily limiting vessel movement for several hours. Roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply passes through this route, making any military activity in the area closely watched by global markets and governments.
The Strait of Hormuz, measuring about 33 kilometres at its narrowest point, connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and serves as a vital transit corridor for oil and liquefied natural gas exports from major producers including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Iran. Although pipelines in Saudi Arabia and the UAE offer partial alternatives, most energy shipments have no practical route that bypasses the strait, making it a critical chokepoint for global energy trade.
Iran described the exercise as part of a drill named “Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz,” during which mariners received radio warnings about planned live surface firing. Reports indicated that missiles launched from Iranian territory and coastal positions successfully struck designated targets in the strait. While Tehran has previously harassed shipping during periods of tension, a temporary closure of traffic remains a rare and highly sensitive step not seen even during last year’s brief conflict involving US and Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities.
The exercises unfolded against a backdrop of rising naval friction in the region. Earlier this month, a US Navy fighter jet reportedly shot down an Iranian drone approaching the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, while American officials also accused Iranian forces of harassing a US-flagged merchant vessel. US Central Command has maintained that Iran may operate in international waters but warned against actions that threaten American ships or personnel.
The military activity coincides with renewed diplomatic efforts over Iran’s nuclear programme, as indirect talks between Washington and Tehran recently resumed in Geneva. At the same time, the United States has reinforced its regional military presence, deploying additional naval assets, including the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group, to the Middle East.
Iranian leaders have issued increasingly strong warnings alongside the exercises. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei cautioned that Iran possesses weapons capable of destroying advanced warships, signalling Tehran’s readiness to respond to perceived threats. The combination of military manoeuvres, nuclear negotiations and expanding US deployments has heightened fears that any miscalculation in the Strait of Hormuz could quickly escalate into a broader regional confrontation with significant consequences for global energy markets.
