Iran's Chokepoint Gambit and Regional Fallout
Iran demands control of Hormuz, Houthis eye Bab el-Mandeb fees, as Ukraine strike kills Iranian sailor.
Iran's Chokepoint Gambit and Regional Fallout — Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told the American press that Tehran will block talks with the US unless Oman agrees to Iran's demand for control over most of the Strait of Hormuz, rejecting Oman's peace initiative for joint management of the waterway.[^1] The strait carries 20% of the world's oil and LNG supplies. Meanwhile, Houthis are discussing with Iran the possibility of introducing a fee for ships passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, through which 10–12% of global seaborne oil shipments pass.[^2] The two chokepoint moves suggest a coordinated Iranian strategy to monetize maritime leverage. On Saturday, Ukrainian forces attacked military vessels in the Caspian Sea, killing an Iranian sailor. Iran considered launching a ballistic missile at a Ukrainian port, but diplomatic contacts between foreign ministers prevented escalation.[^3] FT columnist Gideon Rachman warns that local conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Asia could merge into a global war.[^3] The Mossad declassified details of an operation that thwarted Iran's plan to send a hit squad into Israel. The cell coordinator, T'rot Ozcur, codenamed 'Philip,' resided in France.[^4] The declassification comes as anonymous Lebanese diplomatic sources told Al-Diyar: 'We may witness the cards being reshuffled if war returns to the region. It is hard to believe that Israel will withdraw from southern Lebanon, especially when Hezbollah sticks to its position (refusing to disarm).'[^5] Water crisis, prison allegations, and legal reforms: Israeli society's crosscurrents — At Al-Aqsa University camps west of Khan Younis, displaced woman Mi Muhammad describes feeling humiliated by the crisis. Thousands of displaced people have been suffering a severe water crisis after water networks were cut off, relying on tankers that are insufficient. Engineer Youssef Abdel Aal explains that the problem lies in a generator breakdown due to a shortage of 5 liters of engine oil. Dr. Jamal Al-Hums from the Kuwaiti Hospital, which receives 1000-1500 patients daily, warns of outbreaks of urinary tract diseases and kidney stones due to lack of clean water.