Israel-Iran war: Hormuz, the world's oil chokepoint, is under tension
Since the night of Thursday, June 12, and the Israeli offensive against the Islamic Republic of Iran, all eyes have been on the Strait of Hormuz. This passage, barely 50 kilometers wide at points and located between the coasts of Iran and the Sultanate of Oman, supplies a significant share of the global oil market by linking the oil-producing countries of the Middle East with the rest of the world. Alongside the Strait of Malacca in Southeast Asia, it remains one of the most crucial zones for the trade of crude oil.
Gulf countries account for nearly a third of global oil production
The Strait of Hormuz lies at the heart of one of the world's major oil-producing regions. It is bordered by five members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) – Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates – as well as two other producers, Qatar and Oman.
Together, these seven countries account for nearly one third of global production (including crude, shale, oil sands and condensates), or about 30 million barrels per day in 2023, according to the latest figures from the Energy Institute. "Despite the rise of shale oil in the United States [the world's leading producer], Gulf countries remain indispensable," summed up Ahmed Ben Salem, an analyst for Oddo BHF bank.
Every day, these countries export a significant portion of their output. In the first quarter of 2025, around 20.1 million barrels per day passed through the Strait of Hormuz – more than a quarter of all oil traded by sea worldwide and nearly one fifth of global consumption, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
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AFP
2 hours ago
- AFP
Video shows Malaysia factory fire, not Iranian attack on Israel's air defence system
"The Israeli air defence system in Tel Aviv was destroyed by Iranian missiles," reads Thai-language text on a TikTok video published on June 20, 2025. The video shows people watching a fire behind a building in the distance before an explosion appears to launch a fireball into the air. It surfaced a day after a hospital in southern Israel and buildings in the central towns of Ramat Gan and Holon, close to coastal hub Tel Aviv, were struck after a barrage of Iranian missiles (archived link). Iran said the main target of the attack in Israel's south was a military and intelligence base, not the hospital (archived link). Iran had been firing daily missile barrages at Israel since a wide-ranging Israeli attack on the Islamic republic's nuclear installations and military bases on June 13 triggered the war. A US-proposed ceasefire announced on June 24 appeared to be holding, bringing an end to the 12-day conflict which has killed more than 600 people in Iran and 28 people in Israel (archived link). Image Screenshot of the false TikTok post captured on June 23, 2025, with a red X added by AFP The same footage was also viewed millions of times in similar X posts. But the video does not show an air defence system destroyed by Iran. Unrelated video A reverse image search on Google using keyframes from the falsely shared video led to the same footage posted on TikTok on April 25, weeks before the start of the Iran-Israel war (archived link). The clip was posted by the user "hamidhudson937", whose handle can be seen in the top-left corner of the falsely shared video. The video used in the false posts appears to be a slowed down version of the TikTok clip, and onlookers can be more clearly heard saying in Malay: "The gas cylinder is flying." Image Screenshot comparison of the falsely shared video (left) and the TikTok video posted in April (right) Subsequent keyword searches on Google led to similar footage of the blaze posted on TikTok on April 24 with the Malay-language caption, "A factory fire in Senai's Desa Idaman" (archived link). AFP geolocated the factory to an industrial town in southern Malaysia (archived link). Image Screenshot comparison of the falsely shared video (left) and Google Street View imagery (right), with corresponding elements highlighted by AFP Local media outlets Buletin TV3 and The Sun reported that three men were injured in the fire (archived here and here). AFP has previously debunked other false claims related to the Iran-Israel war.
France 24
4 hours ago
- France 24
Israelis eager to regain carefree life after ceasefire announcement
The devout Orthodox woman hasn't left her apartment in Jerusalem throughout the missile fire, scrupulously respecting the restrictions imposed by the Israeli government. Travelling the 70 kilometres (43 miles) to Tel Aviv, she sits with her adult son Yair on a bench to watch the waves after the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran after 12 days of exchanging strikes. "We're very happy tonight. We succeeded, we destroyed the Iranian nuclear threat with the help of (US President) Donald Trump," said Yair, a restaurant chef at the coastal city, renowned for its partying, fashion and music. "Life can go on." On Wednesday, schools, offices and transport will reopen after the lifting of restrictions. "I'm not religious but I pray that I won't hear any more sirens, that I won't have to run and hide in a shelter," says Yafit Sofi, 33, between sips of beer. "We want to party, we want to live, to regain our carefree attitude... But how long will this last? What will the next war be?" the young woman asks. "So many people want to kill us, so many countries want to destroy Israel. And each time, it's worse." Israel launched its campaign in a bid to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, an ambition Tehran has consistently denied. The Israeli action killed at least 610 civilians and wounded more than 4,700, according to the Iranian health ministry. Iran's attacks on Israel have killed 28 people, according to official figures and rescuers. 'Felt like a game' Many of the young people interviewed by AFP said they remain traumatised by the October 7 attacks by Hamas militants which killed 1,219 people. Israel's retaliatory military campaign spawned into fighting on several fronts. Unlike rockets from Hamas or Hezbollah, its Lebanese ally, Iranian ballistic missiles have proven more difficult for Israel's ultra-sophisticated air defence system to intercept. And the metropolis of Tel Aviv, which had previously been relatively unaffected, has been hit several times in recent days. "At first we felt like it was a game, it all seemed unreal. We were at the beach and suddenly we were running into shelters to hide," says Dorothea Schupelius, 29, while strolling along a palm-lined ledge at sunset. "And then no, it wasn't a game: real people died," she says. "Everyone suffered." No one mentions the famine raging across the border in Gaza. Israel's campaign has killed at least 56,077 people, mostly civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry. The United Nations considers its figures reliable. The territory of more than two million people is suffering from famine-like conditions after Israel blocked all supplies from early March to the end of May and continues to impose restrictions, according to rights groups. 'We're pawns' Fashion designer Noa Karlovsky has a pile of wedding dresses sewn for her clients in her loft in Jaffa, south of Tel Aviv. "Many of our men are in Gaza, and with the war in Iran, even more weddings have been cancelled," she says sadly. "We can't plan anything, we don't really control our lives anymore. Our leaders are at war, but we're just pawns. I'd like to start a family, but I wonder if it's a good idea," adds the thirty-year-old. Omet Btami and Eyal Chen, both 25, say they trust the government. "Anyway, we're not going to wait our whole lives for peace to return for good. Tomorrow, you'll see, everyone will be celebrating," says Noa. "Here, resilience isn't just a word."
France 24
4 hours ago
- France 24
Netanyahu declares 'historic' victory while US intel reports Iran nuclear sites not destroyed
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