The Gulf of Oman's Shadow War: A New Era in Regional Tensions The latest round of tit for tat strikes between the US and Iran has left many wondering if we're witnessing a return to the dark days of the early 2000s, when the region was gripped by an unending cycle of violence.
The past week's events have seen US forces striking five Iranian oil tankers in response to Tehran's targeting of an American warship, with Iran retaliating by launching missiles at a US base in Jordan.
At its core, this latest escalation is about control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which 90% of Iran's crude oil passes.