What If Iran Tries to Close the Strait of Hormuz?: QuickTake

Israeli aerial bombardment has wiped out much of Iran’s ballistic missile capability and decapitated its military command, but Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has refused to stop fighting, even promising “irreparable damage” to the US if it intervenes in the conflict in support of its staunch ally.

This has stoked speculation that Iran’s leadership may reach for another way to pressure its enemies to relent — blocking or effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz to shipping. This narrow waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf handles around 26% of the world’s oil trade. So if Iran’s navy were ...