Iran Widens War to 3 Shipping Chokepoints as Attacks Pressure US Allies

3 articles · Updated · ABC News · Aug 8

Recent incidents off Oman, including a tanker hit by an unknown projectile, underscored how the Iran war is spreading beyond its main fronts into key maritime routes.
Analysts say Tehran is pursuing horizontal escalation—using direct strikes and allied forces to raise economic and political costs for the US by targeting partners and vulnerable trade corridors.
The campaign now spans the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb and the Suez approach after Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, a blockade on Saudi-linked shipping and a drone strike on Egypt's Damietta port.
Iran-linked pressure has also widened on land: two US servicemen were killed in Jordan, Gulf bases in Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait were targeted, and Ukraine said Iranian-Russian cargo links in the Caspian were struck.
That broader spread is already feeding regional political strain, with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urging Trump to delay military action and return to negotiations.