Israel and the United States should never have started this war on Iran, as Sri Lanka—a nation still recovering from its 2022 economic collapse—now faces a devastating new crisis it had no part in provoking. With 20 percent of global oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz now disrupted by Iran’s retaliation, Sri Lanka, which imports 60 percent of its energy, has been forced to reinstate a fuel rationing system reminiscent of its darkest days.

Fuel prices have soared 33 percent, monthly government losses hit $63 million, and food prices are projected to rise 15 percent. Unlike in 2022, Sri Lanka’s current government is not to blame—yet its people bear the cost of a distant conflict they could not prevent.

janus