23/07/2026 12:37 - Internacionales
According to international media reports, the Middle East conflict would be experiencing a new and concerning escalation. As clashes expand, the international community is redoubling its diplomatic efforts in hopes of finding a peaceful way out that stabilizes the region and protects global trade.
According to reports from Infobae and CNN, the price of Brent crude would reach US$100.14 per barrel on July 23, 2026, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) would hover around US$90.98. This rebound follows attacks claimed by Houthi rebels against two Saudi oil tankers, the Encelia and the Layla, in the Red Sea.
The Houthis are an armed rebel group based in Yemen, a country located at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. They are aligned with Iran and have been involved in a civil war since 2014. Their attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz—vital arteries for global oil transport—have repeatedly disrupted international trade.
The disruption of maritime traffic at key chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea would generate additional pressure on global supply, pushing the average price of gasoline in the United States to approximately US$4.09 per gallon.
Sources such as La Voz indicate that the United States would have completed its twelfth bombing against Iranian positions, striking maritime facilities and missile depots. In this scenario, President Donald Trump would have warned that his country would attack "very soon" the Pickaxe Mountain area, where a secret nuclear facility allegedly exists. Additionally, Trump reportedly threatened "great military punishment" if the Houthis, backed by Iran, attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz again.
In a gesture of hope for peace, the US House of Representatives would have voted to restrict the president's war powers against Iran without congressional approval. The measure, introduced by Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal, would have achieved 214 votes in favor and 208 against, with the support of four Republicans, marking a milestone in the oversight of military actions.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres would have warned on July 23, 2026, that the situation in the Middle East is "getting out of control," urging the parties to "step back" and rely on diplomacy. Similarly, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas would describe the maritime blockades as a "dangerous escalation," while Germany expressed "great concern."
For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would maintain a firm but measured stance, stating that Iran's defense doctrine is based on the law of retaliation ("an eye for an eye"), seeking calibrated responses rather than an unlimited escalation. Mediation by countries such as Iraq, through the visit of its Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to Tehran, is expected to pave the way toward a possible ceasefire that restores stability to the region.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
