Iran Uses Proxy Forces to Coerce Neighbors Over Strait Control

Iran is attempting to coerce its neighbors into accepting control over the Strait of Hormuz by disrupting their efforts to bypass it. The country has been using proxy forces and partners to launch attacks on regional states, including Saudi Arabia and Jordan. On July 27, Saudi Arabia reported hostile drone attacks, which were likely conducted by Iranian-backed Iraqi militias.

The attacks also disrupted Saudi Arabia's plans to export oil through the East-West pipeline, which ends at Yanbu Port. The Houthis claimed responsibility for targeting Saudi infrastructure vital to transporting oil from eastern Saudi Arabia to export hubs on the Red Sea.