FOR INSIDERS: Iran's flex in Strait of Hormuz puts Trump on back foot
Key takeaways
- Tehran ratcheted up tensions this weekend in the strait, through which around 20 percent of the world s oil and gas flow, targeting cargo ships and warning that alternate routes for vessels would lead to delays.
- After four days of back-and-forth strikes, both sides agreed to halt attacks, and President Trump said Iran requested a meeting with U.S.
- Army major and executive officer of the Defense Intelligence Agency Middle East/ Africa Regional Center, said in an interview with The Hill.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
Tehran ratcheted up tensions this weekend in the strait, through which around 20 percent of the world s oil and gas flow, targeting cargo ships and warning that alternate routes for vessels would lead to delays. The U.S. responded with targeted retaliatory strikes on Iran.
After four days of back-and-forth strikes, both sides agreed to halt attacks, and President Trump said Iran requested a meeting with U.S. officials in Qatar — leading to a rebound in shipping traffic and a decline in global oil prices.
However, Middle East experts said Iran has shown that it isn t scared to shut down the Hormuz Strait when it wants to back Trump into a corner, exposing the vulnerability of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in mid-June.