Dhaka, April 10 -- The conflict in the Persian Gulf has delivered a stark reminder of a shifting geopolitical order, with global media reports indicating that a vital global energy route is no longer effectively protected by maritime law, while the "US security umbrella" has weakened.

As the Strait of Hormuz transforms from an open waterway into a "de facto toll booth" controlled by Tehran, traditional US allies are being forced into the arms of Washington's adversaries, the media reports noted.

The result is a strategic windfall for sanctioned regimes and a permanent fracturing of Western-led alliances, the reports said.

For decades, the Indo-Pacific relied on the US Navy to keep the 33-39km-wide Strait of Hormuz open.

That certainty...