Hormuz Cannot Be Bypassed: Strait's Strategic Importance Reframed

The Strait of Hormuz, situated between Oman and Iran, is one of the world's most crucial maritime passages. It connects the Arabian Gulf with the Sea of Oman, the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the global trading system.

For decades, strategic discussion has centered on treating Hormuz as a vulnerability: how can oil and gas bypass it, what alternative capacity exists outside it, and what routes could be developed if passage through the Strait were interrupted?

The recent war unleashed by the United States and Israel against Iran highlighted the extraordinary consequences of disruption and the limitations of bypass infrastructure.