THE world appears to be entering a new era of Cold War once again. However, this time the competition is not over ideologies, but over the control of economies and maritime routes. The ongoing struggle between global powers has moved from open battlefields to these narrow waterways, which serve as the lifelines of the global economy. This is a new kind of war: silent, complex and extremely dangerous. Today, the weapons are not guns, but ports, supply chains and trade routes. To defeat a nation, a traditional war is no longer necessary—you simply need to cut off its supply lines. The current situation in the Middle East is a clear reflection of this reality. From the Strait of Hormuz to Bab al-Mandab, the waves carry more than just water; they clearly manifest the friction of global politics, economics and power.

On one side of the Arabian Peninsula lies the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, while on the other are the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab. Viewed on a map, these two passages appear like the two jaws of a strategic pincer gripping the Arabian Peninsula. One jaw holds the energy of the Persian Gulf, while the other holds the maritime trade connecting Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Due to the conflict in the Middle East, these trade routes have become the primary gravity centers for geopolitics and military........

© Pakistan Observer