Burning Oil and Broken Ceasefires: A Cycle of Escalation in the Middle East The latest round of strikes by the United States and Saudi Arabia against Iranian backed militias in Iraq has reignited a cycle of violence that threatens to engulf the entire region.
The escalation comes just days after US President Donald Trump boasted about "very friendly negotiations" with Iran, but it's clear those talks were nothing more than a brief pause in an ongoing game of cat and mouse.
The conflict is not just about the United States and Iran; it's about control of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil shipping lanes.