Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed and threatened to set fire to any ships that try to pass through as the widening war in Iran grinds tanker traffic through the crucial waterway to a halt. The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes.

Iran closes key Strait of Hormuz shipping route after ayatollah threatens to sink US warships - The strategic waterway has not been shut since the 1980s. The move comes amid ongoing tensions with the

A fifth of global oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Here’s why its closure is shaking energy and shipping markets.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who scrapped an earlier nuclear agreement with Iran during his first term, has repeatedly threatened to use force to compel Iran to agree to constrain its nuclear program. Iran has said it would respond with an attack of its own. Trump has also threatened Iran over the killing of protesters.

Iranian Admiral Tangsiri says decision rests with Tehran’s leadership, highlights 24-hour intelligence control over strategic waterway

The Middle East conflict has stoked fears of prolonged disruption to global trade via key maritime corridors.

The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes.

Amid the war in the Middle East, Iran has been targeting key energy infrastructure across the region. Tehran is also threatening energy exporters, warning that tankers entering the Strait of Hormuz — a narrow,