Smoke rises from the Thai-regisered bulk carrier Mayuree Naree near the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday. Where is the Strait of Hormuz, exactly? The strait stretches between the coasts of Oman and Iran and links the Gulf to the Arabian Sea and global traffic. High oil prices could trigger another cost-of-living crisis, as happened after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. US president Donald Trump said earlier this month that the US would provide protection through the strait for oil tankers.

Source: The Irish Times March 13, 2026 03:58 UTC