Straits of Tiran, Maritime passage between Egypt and Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea.
The Straits of Tiran form a six-kilometer waterway between the Sinai Peninsula and Saudi Arabia connecting the Gulf of Aqaba to the Red Sea. Coral reefs and four small islands create natural barriers between the two navigable channels that cut through the shallow waters.
Egypt blocked passage for Israeli ships in 1967 and triggered military tensions that led to the Six-Day War. After the 1979 peace agreement between Egypt and Israel, free navigation through the waterway became permanently secured.
International observers have maintained open passage for all nations since the 1979 peace agreement. Monitors document daily vessel movements through both channels and secure access to Jordanian shores and Israeli ports.
Large ships traverse the deeper Enterprise Channel on the eastern side while smaller craft use the Grafton Channel. Strong currents and reef formations require experienced navigation through both passages during transit.
Astronauts photograph wave patterns on the water surface from space that form due to oceanographic conditions below. Tidal currents between the reefs generate visible turbulence that stands out from the surrounding calm waters.
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