Analysis: The US protected ships from Iran in the Strait of Hormuz in the ’80s. Could it again?
The US considered escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategy used during the 1980s 'Tanker war' between Iran and Iraq. The US Navy escorted 70 convoys then, but replicating this today is challenging due to advanced military technology and unclear US goals.
The US is considering protecting ships from Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategy it used during the 1980s 'Tanker war'. In the 1980s, the US launched 'Operation Earnest Will', escorting Kuwaiti oil tankers reflagged as American. The operation was not without danger, with incidents including a mine striking the Kuwaiti supertanker Bridgeton and an Iraqi missile strike on the USS Stark killing 37 sailors. The US Navy successfully escorted 70 convoys through the region. However, replicating this today is challenging due to advanced military technology and unclear US goals. Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has adapted to sanctions by using smaller civilian ships for military purposes, seizing two cargo ships recently. The US would need to guarantee a cordon that Iran couldn't pierce to effectively protect ships.
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