The Power of Chokepoints

Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz highlight a simple but enduring reality: the global economy depends on physical routes, and many of those routes pass through exceptionally tight corridors. What strategists describe as the “global commons” – the shared maritime domain that underpins trade –remains accessible only through a handful of narrow gateways. As naval strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan observed, “Whoever rules the waves rules the world.” Today, that lesson plays out most clearly in the Strait of Hormuz, where a single waterway can shape energy markets worldwide.