In US vs Iran, all roads lead back to Hormuz

Gist The United States and Iran have resumed direct military engagement, with US forces striking Iranian mine-laying units in the Strait of Hormuz and Iran retaliating against American bases in Jordan. This military flare-up occurs against a backdrop of intensifying US economic sanctions and a divided Iranian leadership debating diplomatic concessions. Aspirants must track this development as it highlights the strategic vulnerability of global energy chokepoints and the limits of unilateral US sanctions when countered by Chinese economic interests. Background The Strait of Hormuz is a vital global maritime chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, serving as the transit route for a massive share of the world's daily oil supply. Historically, the US has utilised comprehensive economic restrictions, including "secondary sanctions" that penalise third-party countries and global banks, to isolate Iran's economy and force geopolitical concessions. Iran's internal power structure is bifurcated between a civilian administration handling daily governance and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps IRGC , an elite military branch that heavily dictates the state's strategic and foreign policy posture. Key Pointers The efficacy of the…