Why a US-Israel War with Iran, dubbed 'Horizontal Escalation,' Poses Immense Global Costs
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'Horizontal Escalation': US-Israel-Iran War Threatens Global Economic Catastrophe
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News18•14-03-2026, 17:54
'Horizontal Escalation': US-Israel-Iran War Threatens Global Economic Catastrophe
•The US-Israel war with Iran involves competing escalation concepts, with Iran employing "horizontal escalation" to widen the conflict geographically and economically.
•Despite leadership losses including Ali Khamenei, Iran's clerical regime persists, and its highly enriched uranium stockpile remains unsecured.
•Iran's strategy targets Gulf states and shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to increase costs for Washington and the global economy, particularly energy supplies.
•US historian Robert Pape indicates the conflict is in "stage two," nearing "stage three," where much riskier options are contemplated, driven by an "illusion of control."
•Israel signals further escalation in Lebanon against Hezbollah, while former US envoy Robert Malley warns of unprecedented levels of conflict, including ground troops and potential terrorist attacks.
