The tension between the United States and Iran has dramatically resurfaced in the Persian Gulf, breaking the fragile truce negotiated in recent months. The focal point of this new escalation is Larak Island, where American forces conducted an air raid targeting two missile launch sites of the Revolutionary Guards. According to Washington's command, the Guards were preparing an operation to deploy naval mines in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, prompting the zero-tolerance policy promised by the Trump administration to safeguard global energy routes.
Tehran's response was swift and multifaceted. On one hand, the regime retaliated by launching missiles and drones at U.S. military bases in Al Azraq and King Hussein in Jordan, as well as a facility in Al Minhad, UAE, although most incoming missiles were intercepted by defense systems. On the other hand, the Revolutionary Guards claimed to have shot down an American MQ-9 spy drone over the Strait of Hormuz and reported the seizure of a supertanker damaged by two naval mines.
The intensity of the clashes immediately reignited fears in international markets, driving up crude oil prices: Brent surpassed the psychological threshold of $90 per barrel, while WTI settled above $85. Further complicating the situation is the stalled agreement for the humanitarian and commercial naval corridor with Oman, which Tehran has announced it will freeze until full compliance with the memorandum signed in June.
On the diplomatic front, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, heading to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek — where a meeting with Vladimir Putin is scheduled — reiterated that Iran does not seek war but will not stand idle in the face of aggression. Meanwhile, in the United States, revelations from the Washington Post highlight growing concerns among military leaders, who have warned the Pentagon about the unsustainability of a prolonged conflict that risks depleting Washington's strategic resources and manpower, leaving it vulnerable on other global hotspots.
(Associated Medias) - Tutti i diritti sono riservati