Hormuz shipping back in firing line as US-Iran strikes resume
The US and Iran exchanged fire for the first time in over a month, with US forces striking Iranian launchers on Larak Island and Iran responding with missile and drone attacks. Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed an unidentified tanker struck two naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, though the incident is unconfirmed. Several tankers have been hit in the area in recent days, and up to 400 ships with around 6,000 seafarers remain unable to leave the Gulf safely.
Why it matters: This escalation directly threatens the security of maritime trade routes, a core concern of the geoeconomics briefing's theme on supply-chain resilience.