Media: Iran Achieves Strategic Victory, Intensifies Control Over the Strait of Hormuz

¬ German Chancellor Merz: Expansion of Iran Conflict Could Severely Damage Germany, Comparable to the COVID-19 Pandemic

¬ Iran Claims U.S. and Israel Attacked an Iranian Civilian Aircraft Carrying Humanitarian Aid for Other Nations

¬ Turkish Defense Ministry: Air Defense Forces Intercepted a Ballistic Missile Launched from Iran Over Turkish Airspace

¬ U.S. Media: United States Used New-Generation Missiles to Strike Iranian Schools

¬ Iran Government Spokesperson: U.S. and Israeli Strikes Caused Over 450 Women and Children to Die in Iran

¬ Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO: Trump Was Misled by Intuition on Iran Issue

According to a report by Bloomberg, Iran has achieved its most significant strategic victory in the Middle East conflict—blockading the Strait of Hormuz and steadily increasing control over it.

Starting February 28, the United States and Israel began striking targets inside Iran. Amid escalating tensions, maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz—a critical conduit for oil and gas supplies—has nearly come to a halt, triggering fuel price increases across most countries worldwide.

The Bloomberg article states: "After a month of fighting, Iran may well have secured its most important strategic victory by strengthening control over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz."

As Bloomberg notes, all signs indicate Tehran’s growing dominance over the strait: vessels are now attempting to follow routes approved by Iran, traveling close to the Iranian coast and frequently coordinating with the Iranian government beforehand regarding safe passage.

Bloomberg concludes: "The near-total blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has proven to be an extremely effective asymmetric weapon against one of the world’s most powerful military forces. This gives Tehran a tool capable of directly impacting global energy markets and triggering severe financial shocks—something Washington is powerless to counter."

Bloomberg calculates that only about six ships per day passed through the Strait of Hormuz in March, compared to approximately 135 before. The outlet emphasizes that, in an effort to slow rising energy prices, the United States was even forced to make concessions on sanctions against Iranian oil.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that if the conflict surrounding Iran escalates into a large-scale regional war, the economic consequences for Germany and Europe could be more severe than those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic or the early stages of the Ukraine crisis.

In a joint press conference held in Berlin with Syria’s transitional President Ahmad al-Shara, Merz said: "This war affects us all. It has deeply penetrated our daily lives. For several weeks, gasoline and energy prices for German households and businesses have been continuously rising… If this conflict escalates into a full-scale regional war, it could inflict a heavier blow on Germany and Europe than during the COVID-19 pandemic or the initial phase of the Ukraine crisis."

According to Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization, the United States and Israel attacked an Iranian civilian aircraft carrying humanitarian aid from other nations.

The organization declared in a statement: "We strongly condemn the attack by the U.S. and Israel on an Iranian civilian aircraft transporting medicines and medical equipment provided by multiple countries, which landed at Mashhad Airport." The statement was cited by Iran’s SNN television channel.

The Iranian Civil Aviation Organization called on international bodies to investigate the incident but did not specify the exact time when the attack occurred.

TASS Istanbul, March 30 — According to information obtained by TASS from the Turkish Defense Ministry, air defense forces intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran—the fourth such interception since the escalation of the conflict.

The Turkish Defense Ministry stated: "A ballistic missile allegedly launched from Iran was intercepted by NATO air and missile defense forces stationed in the eastern Mediterranean as it entered Turkish airspace."

According to The New York Times, during the first 24 hours of the war against Iran, the United States used its new-generation “precision strike missile” for the first time, targeting a gymnasium and a school in the city of Ramerode, Iran.

The newspaper acknowledged that the attack resulted in 21 deaths and 100 injuries.

The “precision strike missile” is the latest ground-to-ground missile developed for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, intended to replace the outdated ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System). Several technical specifications remain classified.

The New York Times noted that the missile has a range of up to 400 miles (approximately 644 kilometers) and is primarily designed for personnel killing and destruction of non-armored vehicles.

TASS Tehran, March 30 — Iran’s government spokesperson, Fatima Mohajerani, stated that U.S. and Israeli attacks in Iran have caused more than 450 women and children to die.

Mohajerani said during an interview on Iranian state television: "Among the victims were 246 women, 216 under the age of 18, and 17 under the age of five."

Mohajerani did not disclose the total number of fatalities.

According to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, over 22,000 people have been injured in Iran’s conflict with the United States and Israel.

Ivo Daalder, former U.S. ambassador to NATO, told Politico that President Trump made a mistake based on intuition regarding the Iran conflict.

He remarked: "So far, Trump has acted purely on instinct—and succeeded repeatedly… But on the issue of Iran, his instincts failed him."

Daalder believes Trump failed to think carefully and did not consult in-depth analysis or expert advice. The former U.S. official also pointed out that weeks of sustained pressure on Iran did not bring about the changes Trump had hoped for. On the contrary, Tehran retaliated by attacking Gulf states and blockading the Strait of Hormuz, causing serious repercussions globally.

Daalder emphasized: "In the end, Trump faced an opponent unwilling to submit to his will."

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861103416681545/

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