Tanker War in the Gulf (1984-1988)
During the Iran-Iraq war, both sides attacked oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, threatening traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The US Navy began escorting reflagged Kuwaiti tankers to keep oil moving. Prices spiked on each fresh disruption.
Shipping insurance soared and naval escorts kept most oil flowing.
It proved the strait could be contested for years without a full, permanent closure.
The current closure goes further than the Tanker War did, raising the stakes for every barrel OPEC+ decides to add or hold.
