The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz has escalated again as Iran reverses its reopening of the crucial waterway and fires on ships attempting to pass. Saturday's developments come after the United States said it would continue its blockade of Iranian ports.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the U.S.-Israel war with Iran has served as wake-up call that a significant source of the world's oil supply remains dependent on the accessibility of this narrow passageway. But, analysts say, it may now force some serious consideration of oil export alternatives.