Analyses

AbdulMalik H. Amer And Mohammed Al-Bandari

Aug 16, 2026

Iran is increasingly leveraging maritime chokepoints, foremost among them the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, as instruments of political and military pressure and as a means of imposing new operational arrangements on maritime navigation, in parallel with the growing role of the Revolutionary Guard and the expanding scope of regional threats. In return, a U.S., European, and regional response is taking shape, ranging from military deterrence to the defensive protection of maritime corridors, amid the risks of the confrontation expanding to other theaters. Containing the escalation remains contingent on achieving a balance between effective deterrence and avoiding a slide into a comprehensive regional confrontation.