Middle East war escalates

THE Middle East war has entered a new phase with regular attacks on globally important energy infrastructure, but there is still no obvious way out, with Washington's objectives and Tehran's ability to maintain long-term pressure both unclear.

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The conflict sparked on February 28 by US-Israeli bombardment of Iran is grinding into its fourth week, with Iranian attacks on energy infrastructure in the Gulf and Israeli strikes reaching the Caspian Sea.

Tehran has vowed to retaliate after an Israeli strike last week damaged Iran's South Pars gas field, which draws on the world’s biggest known gas reserve and is vital for domestic supplies.

Last Friday, drone attacks hit Kuwait's giant Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery, a day after a direct hit on Qatar's vital Ras Laffan natural gas facility.

Geographically, too, the conflict has spread.

Iran tried and failed to hit a joint UK-US military base in the Indian Ocean, a UK official said, after the Wall Street Journal reported Tehran fired two ballistic missiles at it.

Last week, Israel said its jets hit several Iranian naval vessels in the Caspian Sea and Iran's Noor region on its shores.

Iran's de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil and gas normally flows, and the attacks on energy infrastructure have sent crude oil prices soaring.

A barrel of North Sea Brent crude was up more than 50% over the past month and now comfortably more than $105 (about R1 700).