As the Iran war enters its third week, Tehran maintains control over the Strait of Hormuz—a crucial waterway for 20% of global oil—stranding 20,000 crew members and driving U.S. gas prices toward record highs despite 6,000 Iranian military targets being struck.
In and around the Strait of Hormuz, an estimated 20,000 crew members are stranded on ships and under attack. https://t.co/sxvUBx1QfW pic.twitter.com/NdolZpnDS1
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) March 15, 2026
As the Iran war enters its third week, U.S. military officials report 6,000 Iranian targets struck, including ballistic missile sites and air defense systems, with Iran’s navy rendered “combat ineffective.” Yet Tehran maintains its stranglehold over the Strait of Hormuz, the 21-mile-wide waterway connecting Persian Gulf oil producers to global markets.
Normally, 130 commercial ships transit the strait daily, carrying a fifth of the world’s oil. But since Feb. 28, when Israeli and American bombing began, traffic has ground to a halt. An estimated 20,000 crew members remain stranded under attack, as the unprecedented closure spikes American gas prices amid the vital choke point’s shutdown.
“This is the mother of all choke points,” says Bob McNally, a White House energy adviser to President George W. Bush. “Imagine your heart has one artery taking that lifeblood to the rest of your body. And that is what the Strait of Hormuz is.” https://t.co/QXUQrPNYCC pic.twitter.com/dNw7IdWlLH
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) March 15, 2026