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Throughline · June 25, 2026 · 50m

From Hormuz to Suez: the chokepoints of global power

Alex Von Tunzelmann, Farea Al-Muslimi, Harold Lee Wise
Show Notes

Oil may dominate headlines about the Middle East, but the real power often flows through water. In this episode, Throughline explores three narrow passages—the Suez Canal, the Strait of Hormuz, and Bab el-Mandeb—that function as critical chokepoints for global trade. Through stories from three experts, the episode examines how these waterways have shaped the modern Middle East and, in times of crisis, disrupted global markets and shifted the balance of power far beyond the region.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Highlights

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The Middle East's three critical chokepoints
The Suez Canal, the Strait of Hormuz, and Bab el-Mandeb are narrow waterways that concentrate global shipping and energy transit through a single vulnerable point.
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Chokepoints as levers of geopolitical power
Control or threat to these chokepoints gives states and non-state actors leverage over global economic currents, well beyond the Middle East.
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Historical stories that define the modern Middle East
The episode weaves three distinct historical narratives—each centered on one of the chokepoints—to explain how these waterways have driven conflict, diplomacy, and economic shifts in the region.
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References

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Blood and Sand: Suez, Hungary, and Eisenhower's Campaign for Peace — Alex Von Tunzelmann
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Inside the Danger Zone: The U.S. Military in the Persian Gulf, 1987-1988 — Harold Lee Wise
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