The Commander of the Quds Force at the Diplomacy and Resistance Conference

The geographical scope of the conflict is also expanding, as evidenced by recent strikes and maritime tensions reaching into the Red Sea and even the Caribbean. Iran’s "ghost fleet" of oil tankers, which funds its military activities, has become a target for international seizures and sabotage, prompting Tehran to threaten the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Any disruption to this global energy chokepoint would immediately internationalize the conflict, drawing in global powers and causing catastrophic shocks to the world economy. The linkage between maritime security and the direct land-and-air conflict between Iran and Israel means that a spark in the Persian Gulf could quickly ignite a full-scale war across the Levant.