Anonymousabout 3 hours ago
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps overrode a diplomatic opening of the Strait of Hormuz within hours on April 18, 2026, exposing a power struggle in Tehran where hardliners have sidelined the civilian government and consolidated control over Iran's most consequential geopolitical lever. The reversal threatens 20 million barrels per day of oil transit — 25% of global seaborne trade — and has pushed crude prices above $100 per barrel, driven war-risk insurance premiums to 40 times pre-crisis levels, and forced the largest U.S. naval deployment to the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq invasion.