Key keywords: Bandar Abbas Port, US-Iran military tensions, Strait of Hormuz, Iranian oil exports, global energy supply, Iranian maritime trade, US strikes on Iran, Middle East regional security Recent reports confirm that the US military launched a new round of targeted airstrikes on facilities in and around Bandar Abbas, Iran’s busiest port, on Thursday, marking the second attack on the strategic site in less than two weeks. US Central Command claimed the strikes targeted operational sites used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to transfer weapons to Houthi forces in Yemen, who have been attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea since late 2023. Iranian officials have confirmed at least 7 civilian casualties and damage to multiple port logistics warehouses, and warned of “firm and proportional” retaliation against the US. To understand the stakes of these attacks, it is critical to recognize the unique role Bandar Abbas plays in Iran’s national economy and global energy markets. Located on the northern coast of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow 21-mile wide waterway that carries roughly 20% of the world’s seaborne crude oil and 30% of global liquefied natural gas trade, Bandar Abbas is Iran’s largest and most functional deep-water port. It handles more than 90% of Iran’s total oil and gas export shipments, which account for 60% of the Iranian government’s total fiscal revenue. Even amid years of US economic sanctions, Bandar Abbas has remained the core hub for Iran’s sanctioned oil trade with partners including China, India and Russia, with hundreds of tankers departing from the port each month to deliver crude to global buyers. Beyond energy exports, Bandar Abbas is also the lifeline for Iran’s civilian import supply chain. More than 65% of Iran’s imported consumer goods, food, medical supplies, industrial equipment and agricultural inputs enter the country through the port. For ordinary Iranians already struggling with record high inflation (hovering around 40% as of 2024) and shortages of basic goods, any disruption to port operations directly drives up prices and limits access to essential products. The latest US strikes have already sent immediate shockwaves through global markets. Brent crude futures rose 2.6% within hours of the attack announcement, while shipping insurance costs for vessels traversing the Strait of Hormuz have jumped by 150% in the past week. Geopolitical analysts warn that further attacks on Bandar Abbas could prompt Iran to make good on its longstanding threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, a move that would trigger a global energy crisis and draw in multiple regional powers into open conflict. The Biden administration is also facing growing domestic pressure to avoid a full-scale war with Iran ahead of the 2024 presidential election, making the current escalation a particularly high-risk balancing act for US policymakers.