economics
finance
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Tracking since February 28, 2026 · 13reports
The 2026 Gulf Energy Crisis
A live tracker of the conflict that closed the Strait of Hormuz — from Operation Epic Fury through the blockade of Gulf shipping and its cascading shocks to energy, food, freight, and global inflation.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has turned a regional military confrontation into a global energy, food, and freight emergency. This dossier tracks the conflict as it develops and links every related report we publish — from the first strikes of Operation Epic Fury to the second-order shocks rippling through fertiliser, helium, shipping insurance, and household inflation worldwide.
Timeline
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Operation Epic Fury begins; the US–Israeli campaign against Iran widens quickly beyond military targets.
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A drone strike closes Oman's Salalah port and its ammonia storage terminal.
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A strike on Ras Laffan turns energy retaliation into an LNG and helium supply shock.
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IRGC blockade and insurance withdrawal cause Gulf tanker traffic to collapse.
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Strikes on Kuwait's power and water network raise Gulf water-security risks.
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Islamabad talks fail, ending the crisis's brief diplomatic pause.
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A US naval blockade hardens the shock into a shipping and insurance crisis.
Latest coverage
tech
economics
·4 min read
Hormuz disruption squeezes helium and fertilizer as AI and food costs rise
economics
business
·4 min read
Timeline: Operation Epic Fury escalates into a global energy and shipping crisis
economics
finance
·4 min read
Global energy outlook points to stagflation as food and fuel costs climb
health
economics
·4 min read
Kuwait desalination strikes raise water-security risks across the Gulf
economics
business
·4 min read
US LNG exports gain as Gulf disruption rewires gas markets
business
economics
·4 min read
Hormuz insurance shock reroutes shipping and raises global freight costs
news
·2 min read
Stocks tumble and oil prices surge as Mideast war dims economic outlook
news
·3 min read
Explainer: how the Iran conflict is disrupting global LNG and helium supplies
news
·3 min read
The $50,000 drone vs. the $3 million missile: how cheap tech is upending military economics
news
·2 min read
Dollar surges as Mideast tensions drive 'safe haven' rush, yen falters
news
·2 min read
Emerging market debt freeze: Iran war halts record borrowing spree
news
·3 min read
Gulf LNG crisis deepens as Strait of Hormuz blockade chokes global energy and fertiliser supplies
Key facts
- The Strait of Hormuz normally carries ~27% of seaborne oil and ~20% of global LNG.
- Qatar halted LNG output at Ras Laffan and Mesaieed, removing a top-three global supplier from the market.
- Damage at Ras Laffan cut roughly one-third of global helium supply, hitting MRI, semiconductor, and AI cooling chains.
- Tanker traffic through the Gulf collapsed by more than 80% after war-risk insurers withdrew.
- South Asia is most exposed: Qatar and the UAE supply ~99% of Pakistan's and ~72% of Bangladesh's LNG imports.
Regions
Middle East & North Africa South Asia