The Briefing The scramble to take energy infrastructure off the hit list in the Middle East
Mar 20, 2026
Brenda Toohey, Monocle luxury markets editor on the Zara–John Galliano collaboration. Ewan Potts, Bloomberg markets reporter on global market reactions to Middle East energy shocks. Hendel Hento, Japan Times writer on Tokyo‑Washington diplomacy and constitutional constraints. Inzimam Rashid, Monocle Gulf correspondent reporting stalled shipping, strikes near the Strait of Hormuz and damage to regional energy infrastructure.
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Strait Of Hormuz Traffic Has Ground To A Halt
- Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is largely halted with ~1,000 vessels waiting, including 200 oil tankers.
- Inzimam Rashid reports US low-flying jets, Apache helicopters and naval strikes aim to clear mines, armed boats and drones before escorted convoys resume.
Qajj Island Could Be A Strategic Pressure Point
- US and allied planners are considering seizing Iran's Qajj island to pressure Tehran by taking a key crude processing hub.
- Sources told Axios the plan envisages weakening Iran over a month to use the island as leverage in negotiations.
Israel Promised To Avoid Iranian Energy Targets
- Israel pledged to stop striking Iranian energy infrastructure after its attack on the South Pars gas field triggered Iranian reprisals.
- The South Pars attack escalated the conflict, provoking Iran to target Qatar's Ras Laffan LNG complex.