The article presents a carefully calibrated escalation, layering strategic vulnerabilities and responding to U.S. provocations, it's a classic “motte-and-bailey” maneuver. The U.S. frames the strikes on Kharg Island as a defensive measure against Iranian interference with global shipping – a relatively modest claim, but designed to justify a wider military response. This is reinforced by the selective reporting—focusing on the ‘destruction’ of facilities while conveniently omitting the context o...