U.S.-Iran Conflict Shifts Toward Economic and Cyber Frontiers as War Hits 100-Day Mark

As the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran reaches its 100th day, the focus has shifted from direct military strikes to economic coercion and cyber-enabled psychological operations. In the last 24 hours, the Iranian-aligned hacking group Handala issued evacuation warnings to residents in northern Israel, marking an escalation in digital harassment. Domestically, Iranian officials are increasingly discussing 'smart controls' within the Strait of Hormuz, with reports suggesting the government has begun collecting service fees of up to $2 million per vessel from transiting ships. On the diplomatic front, Pakistan has emerged as a key intermediary. Iran’s foreign minister hosted Pakistan’s interior minister in Tehran to discuss initiatives aimed at de-escalating tensions with the United States. Concurrently, reports indicate the Trump administration is investigating legal avenues to utilize over $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets. These funds would potentially be repurposed to compensate Gulf nations for damages sustained during the ongoing regional instability. The economic impact of the prolonged hostilities is becoming more pronounced in global markets. Analysts from JPMorgan warn that global oil inventories are nearing critical lows, expected to fall to 7.5 billion barrels by late July. While no new U.S. military strikes were confirmed in the last 24-hour period, the hardening of positions suggests the crisis is transitioning into a long-term war of attrition characterized by maritime pressure and financial leverage.