India, March 1 -- Amid coordinated attacks on Iran by the US and Israel, and Tehran retaliation across the Gulf, all eyes are on the Strait of Hormuz-just 33 km at its narrowest, no other waterway commands such outsized influence over the global economy.

This explainer covers what Strait of Hormuz is, why it matters, and what the Iran attacks by Israel and the US means for the global economy-especially India.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow sea passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, and, beyond that, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. It has Iran to the north and Oman and UAE to the south. The shipping lane is remarkably slim-two two-mile traffic lanes separated by a two-mile buffer zone-all within reach of Iranian...