Up First from NPR Strait Of Hormuz Crisis, Gas Price Politics, Iranian School Strike Investigation
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Mar 12, 2026 
Tamara Keith, NPR senior White House correspondent covering energy policy and political impacts. Greg Myrie, NPR national security correspondent reporting on the Iran war and regional military moves. They discuss attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and how Iran is choking a vital waterway. They cover Strategic Petroleum Reserve releases and political pressure over gas prices. They examine a Pentagon probe into a deadly missile strike on a girls school.
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Iran Controls The Strait Of Hormuz
- Iran has effective control over the Strait of Hormuz despite losing air defenses, allowing attacks on commercial ships.
- The strait narrows to about 20 miles and Iran uses drones, rockets, and missiles to threaten ~20 million barrels per day transiting it.
Strait Disruption Is A Historic Oil Shock
- Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz can trigger the largest oil supply shock because about 20% of global oil passes there.
- Analysts say this is currently the biggest oil supply disruption in history, driving prices toward $100/barrel.
Use SPR To Ease Prices Short Term
- Tapping the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve can lower pump prices modestly but is not a long-term fix.
- A 172 million barrel release is small compared with ~20 million barrels per day disrupted, so the extra oil could be used in a few days.