US and Iran trade retaliatory attacks on ships as conflict flares
The US and Iran traded retaliatory attacks on ships on Saturday. The US military said it had permanently disabled two Iran-linked oil tankers and destroyed a third, while Iran's state media reported that Tehran attacked three US-affiliated vessels and three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The attacks follow a week of renewed fighting after a month of relative calm.
Why it matters: This escalation in the Strait of Hormuz directly affects the theme of maritime chokepoints and energy security, as the strait's closure has raised global energy prices.