ISSN 2360-7998
Abstract
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most strategically significant maritime chokepoints in the global energy system, making it a persistent focal point of geopolitical tension. This study examines the extent to which contemporary developments between 2024 and 2026 represent a recurrence of the historical Tanker War of the 1980s. Adopting a qualitative, comparative case study approach, the research analyzes both historical and recent events using data drawn from policy reports, media sources, and maritime security analyses. Anchored in realist theory and geopolitical chokepoint theory, the study explores how state actors continue to pursue strategic interests through the disruption of energy flows and control of critical sea lanes. The findings reveal strong continuity between the two periods in terms of strategic objectives, particularly the use of maritime disruption as a tool of economic coercion and geopolitical signaling. Both the historical and contemporary cases demonstrate the targeting of commercial shipping, the involvement of major global powers, and the exploitation of the Strait’s strategic vulnerability. However, the study also identifies significant evolution in the methods of warfare, with modern conflicts characterized by the use of drones, cyber operations, and hybrid strategies that combine physical and psychological forms of disruption, which have transformed the landscape of maritime security and the responses of affected nations. Furthermore, the research highlights the increasing role of perception and risk in shaping maritime activity, where the threat of conflict alone can significantly disrupt global trade and energy markets. The study concludes that tanker warfare in the Strait of Hormuz is cyclical in nature, adapting to technological advancements and changing geopolitical contexts while maintaining its core strategic logic. These findings have important implications for global energy security, international maritime law, and conflict prevention strategies.
Keywords: Strait of Hormuz, Tanker War, maritime security, energy security, geopolitics, hybrid warfare