AUSTRALIA PERSPECTIVE

Canberra watches the Islamabad talks collapse with the anxiety of a country that routes 60% of its energy trade through contested waterways. The ABC dissected the mechanics of a naval blockade — classified as an act of war under international law — while the Sydney Morning Herald shifted to live coverage as the crisis unfolded. Australia finds itself in an uncomfortable position: if Hormuz closes, Australian LNG exports to Japan and South Korea become the only credible alternative, but at what diplomatic cost vis-a-vis Washington?