International Energy Agency: Europe begins the winter with the lowest gas reserves The International Energy Agency announced that Europe will enter the winter season with the lowest amount of gas reserves since 2013 after the gas supply was damaged due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the war against Iran. The blocking of the Strait of Hormuz occurred in a situation where European gas reserves were already at a low level at the end of last winter. After the war, gas buyers delayed purchases to fill tanks, hoping that prices would drop in the future; But it didn't happen.