Why US Navy, the world's most powerful, can't secure a narrow 21-mile gap of Strait of Hormuz: A video explains

US president Donald Trump has called on allies to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to disrupt shipping using drones, missiles and naval mines following US-Israeli attacks. Even if a major multinational naval coalition is assembled, analysts warn that ending the blockade and restoring normal traffic could take months due to geography, asymmetric warfare tactics and the risk of prolonged escalation.

Iran lies along one side of the narrow waterway and has long warned that blocking the route would be a last-resort measure. A senior Islamic revolutionary guard corps commander said as early as 2011 that shutting the Strait would be “easier than drinking a glass of water”. Historically, analysts believed Tehran would avoid such a move because it could invite retaliation against its own energy sector. However, the killing of Iran’s supreme leader has altered that equation, with officials now describing the conflict as existential.

In response to recent strikes, Iran has used a combination of naval mines, mobile missile systems, drones and fast-attack craft to make the route unsafe. While its conventional navy has been significantly weakened, the revolutionary guard retains strong asymmetric capabilities tailored to the confined maritime environment.

Why opening Strait of Hormuz is proving difficult for US Navy

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow maritime corridor between Iran and Oman, with shipping lanes roughly two nautical miles wide. Vessels must navigate close to Iranian islands and a mountainous coastline that provides natural cover for missile batteries and surveillance systems. Analysts say this geography allows Tehran to transform the waterway into a defensive choke point where smaller and cheaper assets can threaten larger warships.

As per a Reuters report quoting military experts, Iran has spent decades preparing for such a scenario. Its arsenal includes swarms of fast-attack boats, mini submarines, floating mines and even explosive-laden jet skis. These tactics are designed to overwhelm advanced naval forces in confined waters where reaction times are limited.

Mass drone production makes the task even more difficult

Iran’s ability to maintain disruption is reinforced by its manufacturing capacity. According to research group Centre for Information Resilience, Tehran can produce around 10,000 drones a month. This scale provides a steady supply of low-cost weapons capable of harassing shipping and complicating air defence operations. Analysts say such production capacity enables Iran to sustain pressure on maritime traffic even if parts of its missile infrastructure are degraded, as quoted by a Reuters report.

Long-term escorts would require major resources

Reuters report quoting naval specialists said escorting a limited number of commercial vessels through the Strait could be feasible in the short term using a small number of destroyers supported by air cover. However, sustaining such operations over months would require extensive manpower, logistics and coordination. Even if Iran’s ballistic missiles, drones and mines were largely neutralised, the risk of suicide attacks or residual explosive devices would continue to threaten shipping.

Strategists argue that the confined nature of the Strait reduces the advantages of modern fleets designed for open-ocean dominance. In narrow waters, smaller vessels equipped with missiles or explosives can pose significant risks to larger warships before they have time to respond effectively.

Coalition push and economic measures

Trump has said he expects several countries to contribute warships to a coalition effort and confirmed that Washington is in talks with multiple partners. His administration has also directed the US international development finance corporation to provide insurance and guarantees to shipping companies in an attempt to restore commercial confidence.

Despite these measures, insurers and ship operators remain cautious due to the elevated threat environment. Any prolonged disruption to the Strait could have significant implications for global energy markets given the large share of oil exports that transit the route.

Lessons from other maritime chokepoints

Recent conflicts highlight the difficulty of securing strategic waterways. Yemen’s Houthi movement, which is allied with Iran but possesses a far smaller military arsenal, managed to disrupt traffic through the red sea for more than two years despite US and European naval patrols. Many shipping companies continue to use longer routes around the southern tip of Africa to avoid risk.

An EU-led mission off Somalia has been more successful in countering piracy, but analysts point out that those adversaries were far less sophisticated and less heavily armed than Iranian forces.

Limited alternatives to bypass the Strait

Regional energy producers have explored alternative export routes. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have invested in pipeline infrastructure intended to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. However, these systems are not fully operational or sufficiently protected. A 2019 attack on an east-west Saudi pipeline by Houthi militants demonstrated the vulnerability of such alternatives to disruption.

As tensions persist, analysts say the crisis underscores how geography and asymmetric tactics can offset conventional military superiority. Iran’s ability to combine terrain advantages, sustained production of low-cost weapons and strategic resolve means securing one of the world’s most critical energy corridors could remain a prolonged and uncertain challenge.