Srinagar, July 13 -- The renewed military exchanges between the United States and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz have once again pushed the Middle East to the edge of a wider conflict. What may appear to be another episode in a long-running geopolitical rivalry carries consequences that extend far beyond the region. The Strait of Hormuz is not merely a narrow waterway; it is one of the world's most strategic maritime corridors, through which nearly one-fifth of global oil supplies and substantial volumes of liquefied natural gas pass every day. Any disruption to this vital passage threatens global energy security, fuels inflation, and unsettles financial markets. History has repeatedly shown that military escalation rarely produces lastin...