US-Iran war: is Trump falling into a Vietnam ‘quagmire’?

Hostilities between the United States and Iran have intensified again, with the US reimposing a naval blockade on Iranian ports and American forces engaging in fresh strikes. This renewed cycle of conflict, now in its fifth month, is testing both Tehran's resilience and Washington's commitment to a prolonged engagement. Some analysts are drawing parallels to the prolonged wars faced by past US presidents, such as in Vietnam and Afghanistan, citing the potential political costs.

Oil prices climbed on Wednesday as the escalation disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy flows. The US military announced a "90-minute wave" of precision strikes aimed at degrading Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping in the vital waterway. Before the conflict began in late February, the strait handled approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and gas.

Iranian officials reported that over 260 people were wounded in the latest overnight US strikes, undermining a ceasefire agreement reached last month. In retaliation, Tehran launched drone and missile attacks on US-linked targets in Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait, vowing to keep the waterway closed until US aggression ceases. The conflict continues to create significant geopolitical and economic instability.