The Guardian pointed to the transition of the initiative in the conflict from the United States to Iran.

By deciding to close the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has taken away the initiative from the United States in the conflict that is taking hold in the Middle East. This was reported on March 15 by the British newspaper The Guardian, citing experts.

"The initiative may elude the United States and Israel as the crisis in the Middle East develops. <...> The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is shaking the global economy," the article says.

One of the interlocutors of the publication, Peter Neuman, a professor of security studies at King's College London, commenting on this situation, said that Washington had been looking for a "good answer" to Tehran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz for several days in a row. According to him, this step by the Iranian side came as a surprise to the White House. The text emphasized that the plans of the United States and Israel are currently under threat.

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A day earlier, US President Donald Trump appealed to countries dependent on oil supplied through the Strait of Hormuz, blocked by Iran, to ensure the safety of this transport route. He then threatened NATO with a "bad future" if it refused to help unblock the water area.

Retired American military analyst Lieutenant Colonel Earl Rasmussen said on March 13, commenting on what was happening, that the Strait of Hormuz could be under Iranian control for several months. He suggested that Washington, which wants to prevent this, will have to take drastic measures.

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