Global energy markets were rocked tonight as Iran bombed a U.S.-linked oil tanker in the Persian Sea and ordered its navy to block the Strait of Hormuz, turning the world’s most vital chokepoint into an active war zone.

Maritime trackers report the tanker was hit without warning by what analysts believe was a cruise missile or drone launched from an IRGC coastal battery. A towering fireball lit the night sky as crude poured into the water; desperate mayday calls cut off as crew abandoned ship into burning slicks. Casualties are feared high.

Within hours, Iran’s navy and Revolutionary Guard announced the “temporary closure” of Hormuz to “hostile and cooperating vessels,” deploying fast attack boats, suspected sea mines and anti‑ship missiles along the narrow strait. Tehran’s hard‑line media hailed the move as “putting America’s throat under our boot.”

Washington has condemned the attack as “state piracy and economic terrorism”, ordering the U.S. 5th Fleet to escort traffic and warning that any attempt to halt freedom of navigation “will be defeated by force.” Gulf capitals, caught between Iran’s rage and American firepower, are scrambling to shield their own tankers and desalination plants.

Oil prices are already soaring, insurers are slashing coverage, and experts warn one miscalculation at Hormuz could ignite not just a regional war, but a global economic shock that ordinary families—from Asia to Europe—will feel at the pump within days.