Attacks by Iran have already nearly halted the flow of oil through the vital waterway as commercial ship crews fear being hit by missiles, drones or mines.

As missiles and drones curtail energy production across the Persian Gulf, analysts warn that water, not oil, may be the resource most at risk in the energy-rich but arid region. On Sunday, Bahrain accused Iran of damaging one of its desalination plants.

Attacks on shipping traffic and energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf temporarily pushed oil back above $100 a barrel, stoking investor fears.

More than a dozen oil tankers, cargo and other commercial ships have been attacked in the Persian Gulf since the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran began nearly two weeks ago.

Iran’s Gulf attacks halt oil flow, push crude past $100, and drive U.S. gas prices up 54¢ in a month amid escalating Middle East war.

Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Thursday that Tehran would continue using the Strait of Hormuz as leverage against the U.S., despite Trump's warnings that Iran will be hit "twenty times harder" than it already has been if it blocks the flow of oil.

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has ground to a virtual halt, unleashing the most severe energy crisis since the 1970s.

As the Iran war widens, experts say the Middle East's real strategic weak point may be water — not oil.

The Iran war has put at risk some of the world's most critical oil and gas infrastructure — the pipelines, refineries, and shipping terminals that keep energy flowing from the countries around the Persian Gulf to the global economy.