A large event happened this weekend in the Middle East, more specifically in the Gulf of Hormuz. More specifically in the context of the 2026 Iranian War. The United States is instating a large Naval blockade on Iran in an attempt to keep Iran from trading with other Nations. Potentially having larger effects on Gas prices here in the United States. What is the purpose of the blockade and what are some of the criticisms and praises of this operation and how does it affect people here at Granada?

What Actually is a Naval Blockade?

Encyclopedia Britannica states a blockade as “an act of war whereby one party blocks entry to or departure from a defined part of an enemy’s territory.”

While Naval blockades are not the only type of Blockade they are the most used today due to most countries’ reliance on seafaring vessels for trade.

Why the Strait of Hormuz? The Strait of Hormuz is a large body of water in the Middle East that connects countries such as Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, and Iraq to the Indian Sea. It is a critical route and is necessary to a majority of these countries for Global trade. It would block Iran’s Supply lines which give them less access to external markets making their war effort much harder to maintain. This kind of Naval Blockade was similarly used during the 2nd Gulf war when Iraq invaded Kuwait.

The Blockade isn’t entirely related to the strait of Hormuz either. 

The United States Central Command states “The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM forces will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.”

All coastal areas will be affected by this blockade. Iran is a big country that doesn’t only have ports that can be blockaded by the strait of Hormuz. Other blockades will be similarly projected onto other Iranian ports in the Arabian Sea IE Konarak and Chabahar. This means a complete lockdown of trade, even for ports that aren’t contained by the strait of Hormuz.  While Iranian ports aren’t able to trade, other Persian Gulf ports will be able to trade freely. The Blockade only applies to Iranian ports.

This Blockade could have major consequences for Countries that rely on Iranian oil.  While also for the purpose of crippling Iran’s military the Blockade also has adverse effects on Nations such as China. 

In 2022 alone the  US Energy Information Administration stated that around 82% of Iranian oil from the strait of Hormuz heads to Asian countries. With around China alone amounting for a large portion of that oil.

There are two main benefits of this Blockade. It will invite countries to buy American Oil which will strengthen the economy and increase economic Diversification. While also forcing China’s hand in inducting peace talks with Taiwan. Which would attempt to end the long China Taiwan tensions that have increased recently.

There are some apparent downsides of the Blockade as well. Many people feel dissatisfied in fighting a war that doesn’t necessarily involve the United States.  Many similarly feel unsatisfied with the need for a blockade in a war that was supposed to be quickly over. Similarly to the Vietnam war a lot of people don’t feel that the economic benefits of the war are worth the lives lost.

The main issue that plagues students here at Granada though is the large increase in Gas Prices. With Gas prices around town going up by almost a dollar, it’s putting stress on a lot of students’ ability to afford Gas.

Granada Senior Brandon Raborn states “I’m really tired of The US Government getting involved in things on the other side of the world. I don’t want to get drafted to war and the Blockade is just gonna make it worse.  Why can’t we focus more on the issues here instead of Iran. Im also spending like 100 dollars to fill up my tank right now and its just annoying”

While Granada junior Caleb Cooley says something different. “I mean I think a Blockade is a good way to disarm the situation while also seeming powerful. . . I don’t really care about the gas prices either, i was probably gonna spend that money on food anyways.”

In conclusion the Naval Blockade on Iran is a large endeavor that involves the complete shutdown of Iranian ports. It has drastically increased gas prices and significantly shown how the war effort has dragged on. While it does have downsides the Blockade could have significant benefits to the economy creating a larger emphasis on United States Oil.