The Strait of Hormuz: a flashpoint in the Iran‑U.S. conflict

Iran announced on Sunday that it had hit an unmanned U.S. vessel that was trying to enter the Strait of Hormuz, marking the latest incident in the renewed fighting between the two nations.

The United States has not confirmed the claim. The Iranian statement came a day after U.S. forces said they had struck three Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for a missile attack on Navy warships.

The conflict began on Feb. 28 when U.S. and Israeli forces launched attacks on Iran. Although a cease‑fire was announced in June, sporadic clashes have continued as negotiations stalled.

Last week the United States and Iran resumed direct attacks, again focusing on the Strait of Hormuz and nearby Iranian communities. Earlier in the same week, at least five people were killed during a U.S. bombardment of southern Iran.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow passage that carries a large share of the world’s oil and natural‑gas shipments. Before the war it was regarded as an international waterway, but its strategic value now makes it a flashpoint in the conflict.

Despite international sanctions, Iran has kept oil flowing by using a so‑called ‘shadow fleet’ of vessels that transport its product to buyers, helping to ease growing economic pressure.

Because the strait links the Iran‑U.S. war to global energy supplies, control over it allows each side to apply economic pressure while also shaping the broader strategic stakes of the confrontation.

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