WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch Iran Fights Back on the Energy Front as Donald Trump Looks to ‘Finish the Job’
19 snips
Mar 12, 2026 They unpack Iran’s strategy of targeting energy infrastructure to pressure the West and raise oil prices. They discuss asymmetric threats like drones, mines and attacks on shipping. They examine global oil market vulnerabilities, emergency releases and limits on U.S. LNG and production. They cover naval demining risks and how energy security is reshaping military goals and timelines.
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U.S. Is Degrading Iranian Missile And Drone Capacity
- U.S. strikes have sharply reduced Iranian ballistic missiles and attack drones according to military leaders.
- General Cain reported ballistic launches down ~90% and one-way attack drones down ~83%, showing aerial and missile suppression progress.
Attacking Energy Infrastructure Gives Iran Outsized Leverage
- Iran shifted to targeting Gulf energy infrastructure because small-scale hits yield outsized economic leverage.
- Hitting a gas plant or a few tankers quickly curtails production and raises Asian import costs despite U.S. domestic supply.
U.S. Supply Cushion Masks Global Pain
- U.S. domestic oil and LNG production blunt global price impacts for America but not for Asia.
- U.S. became a major oil and LNG exporter since 2015, helping hold down prices even as Asian supplies tighten.