What is the Strait of Hormuz? What to know about the vital waterway

The Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway used to carry shipments of oil to countries around the world, is a point of contention amid the U.S.-Iran War.

As the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran approaches two weeks and Americans continue to see price surges for gasoline and other items, attention on the near-total shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway carrying some of the world's oil shipments and natural gas, is also growing.

Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in early March, setting off an increase in energy prices and a halt of petroleum shipments in retaliation for the U.S. and Israeli attacks that started the war on Feb. 28. Iran also pledged to set ships that tried to pass the strait "ablaze," and in the days since, over a dozen tankers and other vessels have come under attack from Iran.

As the Strait of Hormuz remains a point of contention, here's what to know about the vital waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz is a 100-mile-long waterway that connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

As previously reported by USA TODAY, the strait carries 20% of the world’s oil shipments and about 20% of the world’s seaborne liquified natural gas. Most of the oil is from Saudi Arabia and Iraq.