Could Iran Carry Out Its Threat to Shut Down the Strait Of Hormuz?
15th June 2025
The threat of Iran attempting to blockade the highly strategic Strait of Hormuz has re-emerged amid the conflict that has now erupted between it and Israel. Over the years, the Iranians have amassed an arsenal of cruise and ballistic missiles, and kamikaze drones, as well as a slew of maritime capabilities like naval mines, well-suited to the task of shutting down the narrow waterway that links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. At the same time, there are questions about the extent to which Israeli strikes may have hampered Iran’s ability to follow through on such a threat, or even whether the regime in Tehran would want to take such a drastic step that would have global ramifications.