The Take How oil is at the center of the US-Israel war with Iran
18 snips
Mar 9, 2026 Zein Basravi, Al Jazeera senior correspondent in Doha with frontline Middle East reporting experience. He traces why oil sits at the heart of regional conflict. He breaks down recent strikes and the oil price surge. He explains the strategic chokehold of the Strait of Hormuz. He weighs regional spillover risks and the human toll.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Oil Is The Core Driver Of Regional Conflict
- Oil has been the central, recurring driver of conflict in the Middle East and shapes geopolitical priorities.
- Zein Basravi recalls a lecturer who listed the region's main challenges as “oil, oil, oil, oil, oil,” underscoring its persistent primacy.
Energy Strikes Turn Regional War Into Global Shock
- Attacks on refineries and the Strait of Hormuz quickly turn regional strikes into global energy crises.
- Iran's strikes and Israel's attacks on oil depots have raised prices above $100 a barrel and disrupted exports from Gulf producers.
Iran's Strategy Uses Oil As An Economic Deterrent
- Iran is executing a publicized retaliation playbook designed to make foreign intervention prohibitively costly via oil market pressure.
- Officials openly state they'll keep fighting until oil reaches $200 a barrel to force economic pain on adversaries.