🇮🇷 Iran turns up the Hormuz heat as US midterms loom

Iran is raising the pressure on Gulf shipping and energy markets, aiming to break the Hormuz stalemate before US elections on Nov. 3, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The Islamic Republic appears to be leveraging the escalation to push the US toward a diplomatic settlement while avoiding the risks of another full-scale war.

The stakes are rising on several fronts:

🔶 an oil and chemical tanker near Qatar was hit by several projectiles on Oct. 7, per UKMTO

🔶 no group claimed responsibility, but regional officials speculate that Iran was behind the attack

🔶 hours later, Houthi strikes targeted Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, damaging at least two aircraft and triggering flight cancellations and diversions

🔶 twin attacks sent oil prices soaring, with Brent crude settling at $104.27 a barrel - up 4.1%

The US is caught between escalation and diplomacy: Donald Trump has ruled out strikes on Iran before the midterms, while continuing to demand major concessions from Iran, including on its nuclear program.

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