US says it hit three Iranian oil tankers after attacks on warships

# Analysis This escalation marks a critical shift in the U.S.-Iran shadow conflict from proxy warfare toward direct targeting of Iran's economic infrastructure. By striking oil tankers rather than military assets, the U.S. has moved beyond responding to immediate threats and into economic coercion—a strategy that could prompt Iran to retaliate against American or allied commercial shipping, potentially disrupting global energy markets and drawing other regional powers into the conflict. The attack also signals reduced restraint compared to previous confrontations, where the U.S. typically avoided actions that would visibly damage Iran's revenue streams and international commerce, raising the risk of an uncontrolled cycle of tit-for-tat strikes. If Iran responds in kind against oil infrastructure in the Persian Gulf—where roughly one-third of global seaborne petroleum passes through—insurance costs and fuel prices could spike internationally, with spillover effects on everything from shipping to airline tickets to consumer energy bills.