Ninth night of US strikes on Iran: 17 troops killed

The war between the United States and Iran has entered its ninth straight night, and for Serbia, which receives much of its oil and fuel through routes highly sensitive to any tremor in the Middle East, this is no longer a distant crisis but a question of fuel prices and Balkan stability. American aircraft again struck Iranian targets overnight, including the strategic port of Bandar Abbas at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran responded with a series of missile strikes on bases across the region, confirming that the conflict is spreading beyond Iran’s borders.

The number of American troops killed has risen to seventeen after the death of another US service member in Iraq, where the soldier died during what was described as a controlled detonation of an Iranian drone. Each new loss sharpens the political mood in Washington, where part of Congress is demanding a clear exit from the escalation while another part is calling for a stronger response. For now the White House has chosen the latter, announcing the transfer of additional F-16 and F-35 fighter jets from Germany and Britain to the Middle East, a move that visibly reinforces the American presence in the region.

Why is the closure of the Strait of Hormuz dangerous for Serbia?

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has retaliated against US bases in Jordan and Kuwait and announced fresh reprisals, making clear that the war will not remain confined to Iranian territory. The Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of the world’s oil exports passes, remains closed, and this is the point at which a global crisis turns into a Serbian one. Crude prices on world markets are under pressure, and for an import-dependent country like Serbia, a rise in the price of crude reaches the pumps within a matter of weeks.

Halting traffic through one of the most important maritime corridors in the world simultaneously drives up shipping insurance costs and lengthens routes, making energy even more expensive on the European market to which Serbia is firmly tied. For a country still seeking stable supply sources and negotiating long-term energy arrangements, every day the strait stays shut means less room to maneuver and greater exposure to price shocks.

Nuclear site under investigation and internal crisis in Tehran

The International Atomic Energy Agency has said it is investigating a strike on the construction site of an Iranian nuclear plant, opening one of the most sensitive questions of the entire conflict. Strikes near nuclear facilities carry a risk that goes far beyond the battlefield, since any damage to such installations could have consequences for the whole region, and the IAEA has repeatedly warned that nuclear infrastructure must never become a target in armed conflict.

Inside Iran, the supreme leader has called for sacred unity amid growing accusations from hardliners that the memorandum with the United States amounted to a betrayal of national interests. That internal split shows the war is also being fought politically in Tehran, where every decision on further retaliation or a possible pullback carries enormous weight. European chancelleries are measuring their words carefully for now, aware that any misstep could push the region into a wider war whose consequences would be felt in southeastern Europe as well.

The ninth night of war has shown that the escalation is not easing but deepening on every front, from the Persian Gulf to Iraq and Kuwait. How long can Serbia withstand the pressure on fuel and energy prices before the war in the Middle East becomes a domestic economic problem?