Escalating conflict, energy shocks, geopolitical realignments

This cluster tracks coverage of an intensifying US–Iran war entering its third week, with reports of Iranian attacks on U.S. bases and no meaningful negotiations in sight. Posts highlight President Trump urging allies—especially Asia-Pacific states—to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz as oil prices soar above $100 and U.S. casualties rise, underscoring the conflict’s global economic stakes. At home, the war fuels fierce congressional hearings, debates over presidential war powers and election overhaul, and fractures within Trump’s own political base, while analysts connect the crisis to broader great‑power tensions from the Middle East to the Taiwan Strait.