How to Finish the Job in Iran

Key Points:

• The U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran has significantly weakened the regime, killing its supreme leader, damaging nuclear infrastructure, degrading missile production, and fracturing command structures.
• In response, Iran has shifted tactics by effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint through which about 20% of the world’s oil and a large share of liquefied natural gas pass.
• Iran’s strategy involves selective drone strikes on tankers, threats of mines and missiles, and causing insurance collapses, leading to a more than 90% drop in tanker traffic and a surge in Brent crude oil prices up to $120 per barrel.
• The move to disrupt global energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz was anticipated, as Iran has long threatened to use its geographic position to retaliate against military strikes by inflicting economic damage worldwide.
• The narrow and crowded environment of the Strait, likely mined and pushed tankers closer to Iranian shores, increases their vulnerability to Iranian attacks, complicating navigation and security for global energy shipments.