The Straits are the only sea route from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, and about 20% of the world's oil transits the waterway.

The United States bombed Iran’s three main nuclear sites in a major escalation of this month’s conflict in the Middle East. Tehran said it will reserve all options to defend itself. This US move has s

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio turned to China on Sunday to prevent Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important shipping routes in the world. His remarks came after Iranian state media reported that the parliament had approved the plan to close the strait but the final decision rested with the Supreme National Security Council.