War on Iran: Can fuel rationing, remote work, short sleeves ease oil woes?

Rising oil prices amid the US-Israel war on Iran is pushing nations to readjust their energy policies. But analysts say these are short-term fixes at best.

The US-Israel war on Iran has rattled global energy markets, as countries scramble to secure fuel, conserve supplies and rethink exports.

Tehran has effectively halted most traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane between the Gulf – also known as the Arabian Gulf and the Persian Gulf – and the Gulf of Oman, which supplies one-fifth of the world’s oil, in retaliation for the US-Israeli attacks, which started on February 28.

With tanker traffic severely reduced and crude oil prices surging past $100, major oil-importing nations such as Bangladesh and Thailand are looking for workarounds to avert a crisis at home, including diversifying crude suppliers and rationing fuel.

Nevertheless, analysts doubt that any alternative can ensure long-term energy stability as the Middle East remains the world’s main oil and gas supplier.

Here are four strategies countries are enacting to ease the impact of the war on their fuel needs: