Western navies operating in the narrow waterway would be well within range of Iranian missiles, cheap drones and even artillery, defense analysts say. “The Strait of Hormuz reminds us that geography matters,” said Frank Hoffman, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, in an online commentary. Iran’s capabilities today mean the operational challenge of reopening the Strait of Hormuz today is “categorically more demanding” than in 1988, according to Niknami. The Strait of Hormuz is a more challenging environment than the Red Sea, with lower warning times, according to Childs. The mine threat was underestimated in Operation Earnest Will, and mine countermeasures remain a weakness today, Childs said.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 24, 2026 10:17 UTC