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Iran Decides Its Best Defense Is Bravado

undefined and VP of Global Analysis
Reva Goujon
VP of Global Analysis, Stratfor

Jun 14, 2019 | 16:59 GMT

A picture from June 13 shows fire and smoke billowing from the Norwegian-owned Front Altair tanker, said to have been attacked in the waters of the Gulf of Oman.

A picture from June 13 shows fire and smoke billowing from the Norwegian-owned Front Altair tanker, said to have been attacked in the waters of the Gulf of Oman. The incident, the second involving shipping in the strategic sea lane in only a few weeks, came amid spiraling tensions between Tehran and Washington, which pointed the finger at Iran over an earlier tanker attack in May.

(-/AFP/Getty Images)

Two attacks, one month apart, have hit commercial oil tankers in the Persian Gulf region. The first attack signaled that Iran can, and will, disrupt shipping around one of the world's most critical waterways, the Strait of Hormuz. The second, however, shows that the threat is morphing into a not-so-subtle invitation to an arguably avoidable war. ...

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