Trump weighing limited strikes against Iran to curb Hormuz attacks

# Why This Matters The prospect of additional U.S. strikes against Iran would deepen a tit-for-tat military cycle with profound consequences for global energy markets and regional stability. The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly one-third of the world's seaborne oil trade, meaning any sustained military confrontation there directly threatens fuel prices and economic growth worldwide, from Europe to Asia. Limited strikes, despite their framing as measured responses, have historically proven difficult to contain—each round of Iranian retaliation and American counterstrikes reduces diplomatic off-ramps and increases the likelihood of miscalculation that could spiral into a broader conflict. For markets, allies, and adversaries alike, the current trajectory suggests a fundamental shift from proxy warfare to direct military engagement between two nuclear-armed regional powers, eliminating the buffer that previous administrations maintained through diplomacy and deterrence.