Strait of Conflict: Trump's Gamble on Hormuz The US blockade on Iranian shipping through the strait of Hormuz, reinstated by Donald Trump, has sent oil prices soaring and stock markets plummeting.
On its surface, this move appears as a display of American muscle flexing in the Middle East, but beneath the bravado lies a complex web of motivations, historical precedents, and unintended consequences that warrant closer examination.
A Tangled Web of Interests The strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global oil supply, with nearly one fifth of the world's crude passing through it each day.