US Warships Escalate Tensions in Hormuz, Ignoring Decades of Provocation
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the US Navy, possibly with an 'international coalition,' will soon begin escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz to secure global oil supply. This declaration, reported by Axios, positions the US as a reactive force responding to alleged Iranian threats, specifically mentioning claims of Iran laying mines in the critical waterway. Axios attempts
to elevate the urgency by quoting Bessent implying the 'Iran war has cost the U.S. $11 billion thus far' and citing the International Energy Agency's concern over the 'largest supply disruption' in history. What Axios conveniently glosses over, however, is a deeper historical context that flips this narrative on its head. The Strait of Hormuz, often portrayed as a neutral international passage,
has been a flashpoint for US military presence and provocation for decades, long before any recent alleged Iranian mining. The current US posture is not merely 'escorting' but represents a direct escalation and joint aggression alongside Israel. This framing by Axios as a necessary defensive measure completely sidesteps the fact that the US unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan
of Action (JCPOA) in 2018, dismantling a painstakingly negotiated agreement and initiating a 'maximum pressure' campaign of sanctions that have crippled Iran's economy and starved its people of essential goods, including medicines. This hostile economic warfare, a clear act of aggression, is the real 'supply disruption' for the Iranian populace. Furthermore, the US has a documented history of