Israel Bombs Iranian Distillation Facility, Trump Furious, Arabs Lose $194 Billion
Imagine a narrow sea route, only tens of kilometres wide, suddenly becoming the world’s most dangerous geopolitical pressure point. That is the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly one-fifth of global oil supplies once flowed, now transformed into an open field of threats between Israel, Iran, and the United States.
Harsh statements from world leaders are no longer mere rhetoric, but signals that this conflict could spill over into a real global energy and economic crisis.
When Benjamin Netanyahu declares that the war has gone “more than halfway,” and Donald Trump challenges other countries to “take their own oil,” the world faces one big question: is this the beginning of a broader escalation, or a sign that all parties are seeking a way out with minimal risk?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has affirmed that military operations against Iran will continue without a clear timeline. In an interview with Newsmax, as reported by the BBC, he stated that Israel’s combat mission has passed the “halfway” mark, but emphasised that this does not refer to the overall duration of the war.
Netanyahu also claimed that “thousands” of members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have been killed, and asserted that Israel, together with the United States, has nearly destroyed Iran’s military industrial complex, including facilities linked to its nuclear programme.
Nevertheless, he stressed that regime change is not an official objective, while predicting that Iran’s political system will “collapse from within.”
On the ground, the Israeli military continues to intensify pressure. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported a series of new strikes targeting what it described as the “terrorist regime’s infrastructure” in Tehran.
IDF spokesperson Nadav Shoshani stated that the military is prepared to continue operations for several weeks ahead, with full logistical and personnel support.
Meanwhile, the escalation is not only occurring on the battlefield but also extending to global energy routes. Iran, through its parliamentary committee, has approved a plan to impose tolls on ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz, and even to ban ships from the United States, Israel, and countries involved in sanctions against Iran.
This move has the potential to be a major turning point in global energy dynamics. Before the conflict heated up, about 20 percent of global oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Now, according to maritime intelligence data, ship traffic on that route has plummeted by around 95 percent, signalling a serious disruption to the global energy supply chain.
Amid this situation, Donald Trump has issued statements that further muddy the waters. He has threatened to destroy Iran’s vital infrastructure, including power plants and oil facilities, if an agreement is not reached soon. He has even urged other countries to “fight for themselves” in securing their energy supplies.