InternationalThursday, 16 July 2026·The Hindu - International
Strait of Hormuz and Greater Tunb: why the island matters in West Asia security
U.S. airstrikes on Greater Tunb Island on July 15, 2026 highlighted the island’s strategic role near the Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of global oil passes.
Key highlights
Direct fact
On July 15, 2026, the U.S. Central Command said it carried out 90-minute airstrikes on Greater Tunb Island in the Strait of Hormuz, targeting Iranian defence installations and missile sites.
Key specifics
- Greater Tunb is under Iranian control since 1971.
- The island lies near the Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.
- Iran, the UAE and the island dispute have centred on Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa since 1971.
- U.S. Central Command said the operation lasted 90 minutes.
- The three islands remain under Tehran’s de facto control and administration.
Exam lens
TNPSC international relations and geography question type: location-based one-liner or map-based MCQ. Focus on Greater Tunb, Strait of Hormuz, 1971 control, one-fifth of global oil, and the Iran-UAE dispute.