Post factum News – week 1

On 28 February 2026, the US and Israel started a bombing campaign against Iran.

Iran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping, including 20% of the world’s oil supply.

It also attacked US-linked targets in allied countries:

• Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates.

The fighting briefly paused in June but negotiations failed and the escalation continued.

The US has bombed Iran daily for the past 2 weeks.

18 US soldiers have been killed so far, with total deaths estimated at around 10,000 when including Lebanon and the broader region.

Chokepoints attacked

• A chokepoint is a narrow or isolated waterway where cargo shipping is concentrated (often a canal or a strait).

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow passage on the way out of the Persian Gulf.

Over 20% of the world’s crude oil and petroleum products pass here, mostly on their way to Asia, especially China and India.

Since the 1980s, Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the Strait but this is the first time that it was blocked.

Iran uses drone strikes to target oil tankers and other ships in the Strait.

This week, the Iran-backed Houthis announced a “blockade” of another chokepoint: the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Bab el-Mandeb is the southern entry/exit point of the Red Sea.

Together with the Suez Canal they allow shipping to avoid going around Africa on the way between Europe and Asia.

Since 2023, the Yemen-based Houthis have attacked commercial ships with drones and missiles along the route.

Red Sea traffic dropped by 60% and has remained at the lower level since, despite a May 2025 deal that paused the strikes.

In March 2026, the Houthis renewed their attacks on Israel as the war in Iran continued.

On Thursday, the Houthis attacked 2 tankers in the Red Sea, pushing the price of oil to $100.

Saudi Arabia, a top-3 oil producer, has been actively re-routing its exports from the east coast to the west, to avoid Hormuz.

It is now facing risks along the only alternative trade route towards Asia.

Thank you for reading!