udi ▁Arab ia . ▁The ▁western most ▁stra it , ▁between ▁Egypt ▁and ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁Tir an , ▁over look ed ▁by ▁the ▁Egypt ian ▁city ▁Sh arm ▁el - She ikh ▁is ▁the ▁" St rait ▁of ▁Tir an ", ▁ ▁wide . ▁It ▁has ▁two ▁pass ages ▁deep ▁enough ▁to ▁be ▁navig able ▁by ▁large ▁ships . ▁The ▁Enter prise ▁passage , ▁ ▁deep , ▁is ▁adjacent ▁to ▁the ▁Egypt ian ▁side , ▁while ▁the ▁ ▁deep ▁G raft on ▁passage , ▁surrounded ▁by ▁shall ows , ▁is ▁to ▁the ▁east , ▁near er ▁to ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁Tir an . ▁To ▁the ▁east ▁of ▁Tir an , ▁between ▁it ▁and ▁Sa udi ▁Arab ia , ▁the ▁other ▁stra it ▁has ▁re ef s ▁and ▁shall ows ▁with ▁a ▁single ▁channel ▁ ▁deep . ▁ ▁Cl os ure ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁▁ ▁Access ▁to ▁Jordan ' s ▁only ▁se ap ort ▁of ▁A q aba ▁and ▁to ▁Israel ' s ▁only ▁Red ▁Sea ▁se ap ort ▁of ▁E il at ▁is ▁through ▁the ▁G ulf ▁of ▁A q aba , ▁which ▁gives ▁the ▁Stra its ▁of ▁Tir an ▁strateg ic ▁importance . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁nin ety ▁percent ▁of ▁Isra eli ▁oil ▁passed ▁through ▁the ▁Stra its ▁of ▁Tir an , ▁making ▁it ▁a ▁target ▁of ▁Egypt ian ▁block ade ▁during ▁the ▁Arab ▁League ▁boy c ott ▁of ▁Israel . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁Isra eli ▁Prime ▁Minister