The most critical component of the blockade is that it finally puts pressure on the group actually controlling things, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. And since the IRGC gets most of its funding from oil exports and smuggling, the pressure is on.

This is a good thing overall, but it could provoke attacks on nearby Gulf states. And sure, there are several ways to bypass the blockade, but those costly routes add time. A blockade like this can only be effective through sustained enforcement, so we’ll continue to watch the Strait closely.

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