The Strait of Hormuz is not the end; Iran's other killer move has been exposed, and the U.S. is in big trouble

Regarding Iran issues, the United States is gradually pushing itself into a dead end. After the first round of negotiations failed, Trump quickly turned hostile. Recently, Trump publicly accused Iran of "not fulfilling commitments to open the Strait of Hormuz," and announced that U.S. military forces would take blockade actions against the Strait of Hormuz, intercepting, inspecting, and even blocking all ships entering or leaving Iranian ports and related waters.
Trump announced the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz Trump perhaps thought that by squeezing the Strait of Hormuz, he could choke Iran's economic lifeline and force Tehran to bow. But this plan is clearly difficult to execute—Iran still has a trump card capable of causing the U.S. and global markets to "vomit blood." Objectively speaking, it was expected that the first round of U.S.-Iran negotiations would fail to reach consensus. According to disclosures from Iran, the conditions proposed by the U.S. are essentially "surrender terms":
First, sharing the profits of the Strait with Iran;
Second, requiring Iran to export all 60% enriched uranium out of the country;
Third, banning any uranium enrichment activities for the next 20 years.
For Iran, these conditions are simply unacceptable. Iran is well aware that once it completely abandons its nuclear capabilities and strategic leverage, what awaits it will not be peace, but being carved up by others. Therefore, a breakdown in negotiations was almost inevitable. Against this backdrop, Trump’s subsequent announcement of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is essentially: if negotiations fail, then just throw a tantrum. In other words, he wants to tell Europe, Japan, South Korea, and the whole world: "Either join me in forcing Iran to bow, or everyone will suffer from soaring oil prices."
But the problem is—Iran has never been the kind of country that gives in when cornered. In fact, besides the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has another "deadly trump card"—the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Houthi forces could blockade the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which is located in southwestern Yemen, connecting the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, and is one of the world's most important maritime trade chokepoints.
About 12% of global cargo and energy transportation passes through here. More critically, the strait borders Houthi-controlled areas. Who are the Houthis? Everyone knows: they are one of Iran’s most important "proxy armed groups" in the Middle East. If Iran fully lifts restrictions, tacitly permits, or even supports the Houthis to escalate attacks, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could instantly become a second "powder keg."
At that point, the world's two major energy and shipping arteries would be blocked simultaneously, causing the entire international market to shake. This would not be a simple oil price increase but a chain reaction affecting global supply chains, shipping, and finance. Especially for the U.S., once oil prices surge, inflation rebounds, consumer spending drops, and stock markets come under pressure, ultimately hitting the White House directly. Moreover, this year, with the U.S. facing midterm elections, continued oil price hikes could severely damage the Republican Party’s prospects.
By then, not only would Trump’s Middle East policy fail, but his domestic political base could also collapse. Currently, Washington faces a classic strategic deadlock: continue pressure, and Iran will not yield; escalate into full-scale war, and the U.S. will once again sink into the Middle Eastern quagmire. But if concessions are made, Trump’s previous tough stance will be completely undermined, and U.S. credibility will suffer a heavy blow. In other words: the U.S. has already painted itself into a corner.
Iran’s strategy is very clear: not seeking a quick victory, but aiming to wear down the opponent. Iran knows it cannot confront the U.S. head-on, but it can prolong the conflict, increase costs, disrupt energy supplies, and create proxy conflicts to drain U.S. resources over the long term. This is a typical scenario: "Weak countries fight strong countries, not by who has bigger fists, but by who can endure longer." Overall, the more aggressive Trump’s threats, the more it reveals America’s lack of confidence.
Currently, the U.S. has few good cards left against Iran. If the situation continues to worsen, a global energy, shipping, and financial storm could soon erupt. When that happens, the first to "vomit blood" may not be Iran, but rather the U.S. itself, which was the first to "throw a tantrum."