From the Persian Gulf to the English Channel, a small number of narrow waterways carry the vast bulk of what Europeans eat, buy, and heat their homes with. When one of them is threatened the consequences ripple everywhere.

When Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed after US-Israeli air strikes and began attacking commercial ships attempting to pass through, the effects were felt almost immediately. Not just in the Gulf, but in European homes and businesses thousands of kilometres away.

The blockade severely disrupted one of the world’s most critical shipping routes for oil, gas and chemicals, triggering a sharp energy price shock across Europe. Brent crude surged towards $100 (€86) per barrel, and Europe’s wholesale gas benchmark jumped. For ordinary consumers, that translates directly into higher petrol prices, heftier heating bills and a fresh wave of inflation at a time when many households are already stretched.

The impact does not stop at energy. Around a third of global seaborne fertiliser trade passes through Hormuz, an essential supply that keeps European farms productive. Fertiliser shortages are now expected to push food prices higher still, adding another layer of pressure on European consumers.

This crisis is another reminder of a structural vulnerability that experts have long warned about: Europe’s enormous economy largely…