The Tanker War remains one of the most volatile chapters in Middle East history, directly shaping the permanent US military presence in the Persian Gulf today. In this deep dive, we explore Iraq’s deliberate strategy to bomb Kharg Island to provoke an Iranian retaliation. By forcing Iran to threaten the Strait of Hormuz, Saddam Hussein aimed to globalize the conflict and force a US intervention. From the reflagging of Kuwaiti tankers in Operation Earnest Will to the tragic downing of Iran Air Flight 655, we analyze how these events created the geopolitical landscape of 1991, 2003, and the tensions we see in 2026.

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