Iran has signaled willingness to escalate its confrontation with the United
States after an initial attack on a U.S. warship, with senior leaders issuing
increasingly hardline warnings. Facing mounting economic pressure and worries
that control over the Strait of Hormuz is weakening, Tehran is adopting a more
aggressive posture; a U.S. maritime blockade has left Iran almost unable to
export oil, its main revenue source. Analysts say the situation raises the risk
recent clashes could broaden toward full-scale war and that Iran is likely to
try to intensify military pressure while avoiding outright war, aiming to push
global oil prices higher or force a closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
