The attack by US drones on Iran’s Larak Island reveals that Donald Trump’s mission control, like Houston and Apollo 13, has a major problem.
Sunday’s strike has led to the resumption of open hostilities between Iran and America after a relative lull since July.
The war, which was intended to last six weeks at most, has now run for more than six months. To say there is no credible peace settlement in sight might qualify as the understatement of the year.
The markets quickly got the message – within minutes of the news of the attacks on the island in the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices moved up two per cent on world markets.
The Larak mission comes only four days after Trump had announced that the Strait was free of mines, thanks largely to US clearing efforts, and that shipping lanes were open. The Iranians responded by calling this a “blatant lie”.
