There's a reliable winning energy trade in fading Middle East geopolitical risk premiums, especially when doomers start warning of Hormuz shutdown risks. Well I'm still young and naïve enough to believe this time is different and, that as a WSB regular, I'm wiser than the seasoned energy veterans, especially after getting lucky with my prior bet on DHT.
Why this Time is Different
In the "imminent" future, the Iranian regime will be fighting for survival against the greatest US/Israeli onslaught since the Iraq War.
Based on a reliable consensus of twitter rando reports, USAF has amassed a strike package on Iran's doorstep that far exceeds the June 2025 build-up, with several unmistakable signatures for an extended regime-change campaign in contrast to the prior surgical strike on nuclear facilities.
| Grok Recon Summary | Key Movements | Extended Campaign Indication |
|---|---|---|
| Tankers (KC-135/KC-46 equivalents) | 107+ total: 31 in CENTCOM; 57 along US-Atlantic-Mediterranean route (higher than 2025 op); 19 in UK/Germany for surge. | Signals preparation for continuous bomber packages (e.g., multiple B-2s over Iran), bypassing base restrictions for weeks-long strikes from U.S. soil. |
| Recon/SIGINT (RC-135 Family) | Rivet Joint (64-14848) withdrawn to Greece after ~6 Iran sorties from Qatar; Constant Phoenix (64-14831) sortie from UK; others at Kadena, Nellis, Homestead. | Persistent intel for monitoring ballistic missiles and responses, essential for adaptive multi-phase campaigns. |
| EW/SEAD (EA-18G Growlers, F-16 Wild Weasels) | 6 Growlers in Jordan + 10-12 on carriers; 24 F-16s with Angry Kitten pods en route to ME; 48 F-16s dispersed in region. | Dedicated to suppressing defenses for repeated incursions, enabling safe, prolonged air ops against Iranian AD remnants. |
| Bombers/Support (A-10) | B-2 routes prepped; 12 A-10s in Jordan from Moody AFB. | Deep strikes on hardened targets and close air support for hybrid ops, suited for extended conflict phases. |
| AWACS/Comms (E-3G, E-11A) | 6 E-3G in Saudi; 5 E-11A BACN in Saudi. | Coordinated command for large-scale, sustained missions. |
| Drones/Recon (MQ-4C, U-2S, RQ-4B) | 3+ MQ-4C; U-2S flights into region; 2 RQ-4B in Mediterranean. | High-endurance recon for ongoing surveillance over waterways and Iran, key for long-duration adaptability. |
https://x.com/DefenceGeek/status/2024826921721135579?s=20
https://x.com/steffanwatkins/status/2023668801611722806?s=20
https://x.com/TheIntelFrog/status/2024997568170565973?s=20
Further summarized by Grok, the planning for heavy casualties and search & rescue operations further support the notion of a highly-involved, weeks-long campaign:
- Asset Deployments: 2x HC-130J "Combat King II" CSAR aircraft transiting from U.S. mainland to the region, providing extended-range rescue, refueling, and insertion capabilities for pararescue teams. Additional KC/MC/HC-130 variants noted for CSAR and helicopter support, bolstering the 31 tankers already in CENTCOM.
- SOF Integration: High-alert status for units like Air Force Pararescue (PJs), 160th SOAR "Night Stalkers" (special aviation for covert insertions), and other elite groups (e.g., Delta Force, Green Berets), positioned for rapid, classified CSAR ops inside Iran.
- Expected Escalation: U.S. planning for "back-and-forth strikes" and Iranian responses targeting all American personnel and economic interests
- Defensive Posture: Surge in air defenses (Patriot, THAAD) and asset dispersion to protect bases and interests, indirectly prepping for mass casualties by reducing vulnerability
If regime-change is indeed the goal, as these preparations strongly suggest, the Mullahs will be desperately fighting for their survival without holding back any cards. Their official statements have long glorified martyrdom, and have become even more explicit in recent times.
Why Regime Survival -> Energy Crisis Electioneering
I believe the Iranian regime will seek to retaliate, both out of spite and practicality, directly against US/Israeli political leadership where it hurts most: at the polls.
Israeli early elections come up in June, and are essentially a "must-win" for Bibi to keep his PM privileges so he can keep derailing his ongoing criminal trial. Then by year end, US midterm elections come up threatening the US admin's Congressional majority, where the stakes are much higher than normal given ongoing Congressional inquiries on the Epstein files that impinges upon key admin officials.
How would the Iranian regime swing US/Israeli elections? At the gas pumps of course. Trump has famously celebrated low energy prices as a crowning achievement of his Presidency. Spiking energy prices have become an even larger issue for Israeli politics after earlier Iranian strikes on Israeli refineries that they have yet to recover from.
As it were, Iran and their Houthi proxies are uniquely well-positioned to wreck havoc on global energy markets. With cheap sea mines, rockets and drones, the Iranian axis can render the Hormuz and Red Sea passages uninsurable to commercial vessels, thus effectively blockading the large fraction of world energy exports that comes from Middle East. A Hormuz blockade is especially disruptive to clean product (the refined fuels we consumers actually use) exports given already tight refinery capacity worldwide, and the lack of product pipelines to circumvent a Hormuz blockade.
Iran/proxies can saturate strike nearby refining mega-complexes across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Oman etc. creating a long-lived refining deficit that would spike consumer energy prices to astronomical, election-swinging levels. Unlike a Hormuz blockade that could be theoretically de-mined and secured on the order of months, refinery decimation from missile/drone swarms could take years to recover from as demonstrated in the Ukraine-Russia war. The Mullahs may well see such a scorched Earth, attritional strategy as their best shot at surviving the US/Israeli campaign, by inflicting severe economic pain on Western voters from a global energy crisis that in turn saps political will, not unlike in the Vietnam War.
Unlike during prior Middle East conflicts, Iran's principle backers China and especially Russia are far better positioned to withstand and even profiteer from a new energy crisis. China has stockpiled a colossal crude reserve exceeding their annual consumption, while building out many of the world's largest modern refining mega-complexes. China now holds much of the world's excess refining capacity in Shandong teapots that would capitalize on Middle East refinery disruptions.
On the other hand, a Hormuz blockade would be a transformational windfall for the Kremlin's war-drained coffers as desperate energy buyers turn back to sanctioned Russian crude amid a global energy crunch. The Russians would be far and away the clearest winners from the impending US-Iran war, most especially if it results in any Hormuz disruption.
Why Marathon Petroleum
Marathon operates two massive US Gulf Coast refineries that would be among the principal beneficiaries of a global refining crunch. These export-oriented refineries are well positioned to capitalize on any refinery or clean product disruptions triggered from an all out US-Iran war.
I previously had a good run with Valero (also why I like long-dated calls), but this time around Marathon appears to have much better fundamental valuation than their USGC peer, based on my consultations with Claude & Chatgpt. To see for yourself, ask your favorite AI agent to run a SOTP valuation model comparison between the two. My individual account position on Marathon:
Disclaimer: Not financial advice, I hold positions in and/or trade companies discussed. These writings are the product of my personal opinions and speculations built upon twitter rando reports and AI generated text, both of which may be subject to error, hallucinations and factual inaccuracies. Please treat anonymous reddit posts based on AI slop processed from anonymous twitter randos accordingly.
Buckle up for a Middle East Energy Crisis with Marathon Petroleum
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Posted by gbaked
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