Middle East Live: US strikes Iran for first time in a month

# Analysis The US strikes represent a critical turning point in the cycle of Iranian and American military provocations that directly threatens one of the world's most economically vital waterways. The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly 20% of global oil traded internationally, meaning any sustained escalation risks immediate disruption to energy supplies and inflation pressures across Europe, Asia, and North America. Iran's possession of advanced rocket launchers in this region has long posed a theoretical threat to commercial shipping, but direct US military action transforms that threat into active conflict, substantially increasing the likelihood of Iranian retaliation and accidental strikes on civilian vessels caught in the crossfire. For markets, energy companies, and logistics firms dependent on the route, these strikes signal a shift from containment to active military engagement, fundamentally altering risk calculations and potentially triggering hedging strategies that raise global crude prices independent of any actual supply disruption.