LatestGlobal trade remains tethered to narrow sea chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz, but escalating Middle East tensions and shifting security alignments are threatening energy flows and prompting rethinking of maritime law and defense strategies. From new defense pacts among Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Türkiye to foreign shipbuilding collaborations and questions about who will manage sea lanes, the regional security architecture is evolving beyond a single external guarantor.Sep 8, 2026