United States President Donald Trump has built much of his political brand on unpredictability. But analysts say his shifting messaging over the war with Iran is increasingly obscuring a deeper problem: the failure to secure the quick victory he appeared to promise. The conflict escalated dramatically following the killing of Ali Khamenei during a joint US-Israeli strike in late February. Iranian state media later confirmed the death of the long-time leader after the airstrik

The specter of a global energy crisis looms as Tehran and Washington exchange threats over the control of the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC has vowed to halt all regional oil exports if U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Iranian soil persist. This "Operation Epic Mistake," as Tehran has branded the Western campaign, has already pushed oil prices toward a staggering $120 per barrel.

The global economy is currently staring down the barrel of a maritime "nuclear option" as the conflict in the Middle East spills into the world’s most critical energy artery: the Strait of Hormuz. Following twelve days of escalating hostilities, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has begun deploying naval mines, a move that threatens to paralyze the $120-per-barrel oil market and trigger a catastrophic spike in global shipping costs.