Escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz create several strategic advantages for the United States and fit Washington’s long-term objective of expanding its influence over global energy markets, according to political analyst Vahe Davtyan.
In his assessment, one of the main reasons for US interest in developments around the strait is the possibility of inflicting significant damage on Asian economies.
China is the primary concern because it remains the largest importer of oil and liquefied natural gas transported through this strategically important maritime route.
Davtyan says any disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz directly affects Beijing’s energy security.
Reduced Qatari Supplies Could Strengthen US LNG Exports
The second important factor is the prospect of reduced Qatari gas supplies to the global market.
Under such conditions, the United States would gain an additional opportunity to significantly increase exports of its own liquefied natural gas to Europe.
Davtyan notes that Washington is already actively using this opportunity.
Forecasts suggest that US supplies will account for approximately 66% of all European LNG imports in 2026.
The share of American liquefied gas in the European market has already more than tripled since 2022.
According to the analyst, further instability around the Strait of Hormuz could make Europe even more dependent on American energy resources.
OPEC’s Position Could Weaken
Davtyan identifies the weakening of OPEC as another strategic consequence of a possible disruption or paralysis of the Strait of Hormuz.
He says Washington has traditionally viewed the organization as a cartel arrangement among oil-exporting states.
The long-running NOPEC initiative — the No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act — reflects this approach and is intended to challenge coordinated policies among oil-producing countries.
Davtyan believes containing OPEC’s influence is consistent with the broader energy strategy of the Donald Trump administration.
That strategy is based on the concept of the “Golden Age of American Energy Dominance.”
Within this framework, weakening competitors is expected to strengthen the United States’ leading position in the global energy market.
Washington Is Promoting Alternative Energy Routes
The fourth area highlighted by Davtyan is the development of new infrastructure projects.
He argues that growing tensions around the Strait of Hormuz allow the United States to promote alternative routes for transporting energy resources.
As an example, he cites recent reports that the United States, Iraq and Syria are preparing to restore the Kirkuk-Baniyas oil pipeline.
The pipeline connects the oil fields of northern Iraq with Syria’s Mediterranean coast.
If restored, the route could allow part of the region’s oil exports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz and other vulnerable sections of Middle Eastern energy infrastructure.
New Routes Are Instruments of Geoeconomic Influence
According to Davtyan, infrastructure projects of this kind are powerful instruments for building geoeconomic influence.
By creating new oil and gas supply routes, Washington seeks to strengthen its position in the global energy system and deepen its influence over allied countries.
At the same time, such projects can restrict the opportunities available to US geopolitical competitors, including China and Iran, as well as states whose influence depends heavily on existing energy and transportation routes.
The analyst argues that the escalation around the Strait of Hormuz should therefore be viewed not only as a regional crisis but also as part of a broader struggle to redistribute influence in global energy markets.
In his assessment, the United States is seeking to use the crisis to expand LNG exports, weaken OPEC, promote alternative energy routes and consolidate American energy dominance.