Iran Reports Closing Strait of Hormuz to Maritime Traffic as Regional Conflict Widens
Iran has informed merchant vessels operating in the Persian Gulf that it is shutting down the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints — amid the expanding military conflict with the United States and Israel. The closure, if enforced, would disrupt roughly one-fifth of the world's daily oil supply and send shockwaves through global energy markets already rattled by the strikes. Oil prices were already surging on fears of supply disruption before the closure announcement, and the move represents Iran's most aggressive economic retaliation option short of attacking oil infrastructure directly. The Strait of Hormuz has long been considered Iran's ultimate leverage point in any military confrontation with the West, and its closure — even temporarily — could trigger the most severe energy crisis since the 1973 oil embargo.
Read Full Story at Washington TimesWhen you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you.
— Isaiah 43:2
Isaiah's promise of God's presence through the waters carries literal weight as the world's most critical shipping lane faces closure. The economic anxieties rippling outward from the Strait of Hormuz affect billions of people who depend on the energy flowing through that narrow passage. In times of material uncertainty, the prophet's assurance remains: the waters may churn, but they will not overwhelm those who trust in the Lord.