Strait of Hormuz blockade and other major naval sieges

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway once carrying roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas, remains effectively closed after the United States and Iran imposed competing blockades. Naval blockades are one of the oldest weapons in warfare, requiring no ground troops or invasion, just the ability to cut off what an enemy needs to survive. These blockades have reshaped economies, societies, and alliances across generations, sometimes with instant shock waves, sometimes with effects only seen later.