Hormuz Strait Erupts into Conflict as Iran Pursues Control

Across the Middle East, new fronts seem to be opening up in a complex web of conflicts. The epicenter is the Strait of Hormuz, an elbow-shaped passage between Iran and Oman that carries a fifth of the world's traded oil and gas. Iran claims control over the waterway and has attacked ships attempting to use an alternative route overseen by the U.S. military.

The U.S. responded by striking Iran, saying the strait should be open to all international traffic. This has led to exchanges of fire in recent weeks, deepening mistrust between the two sides. At this point, Iran appears more interested in cementing its control over the strait than making a deal with the U.S.

Yemen's Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, have declared a blockade on Saudi Arabia, threatening shipping through another major trade route leading to Egypt's Suez Canal. The Houthis also claim to have attacked Saudi oil infrastructure near an East-West pipeline.

The Houthi-Saudi tensions are rooted in a separate but related conflict going back over a decade and seem to be reigniting. This presents a new front where Iran could pressure a key U.S. ally, potentially choking off more of the world's energy supplies.