War drums beat louder in the Middle East: U.S. and Israel hammer Iran, drawing back drone and missile fire on Israel plus U.S. sites in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar. The Strait of Hormuz emerges center stage, its oil traffic paralyzed by fear.
Iran-Oman squeezed, the 33-km strait ties Persian Gulf to open seas, 3-km lanes threading tankers near UAE shores. International status belies its vulnerability.
Iran’s post-attack alerts empty incoming paths; stragglers depart. Sanctioned tanker strike off Oman mystery deepens dread.
Eons of trade—from ancient exotics to modern fuels—flow here: Gulf states’ crude/LNG to Asia’s maw, China leading.
20% world oil (20M+ bpd), Qatar LNG monopoly traverse daily. Pipelines scant relief.
Snag? Oil/gas vaults, fuels soar, inflation grips—Asia reels. History screams: ’73 cutoff, ’80s tanker bloodbath, 2012 vow, 2019 hits, hijacks.
Fifth Fleet guards from Bahrain; war mocks defense. Closure? Insurance explosion, Asian import hell.
Iran vs. US-Israel: Hormuz, economy’s throat, commands the gaze.