General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Here's the reason the US Navy is reluctant to sail through the Strait of Hormuz [View all]modrepub
(4,078 posts)So on the US side, you're going to risk billions of dollars in ships that may take half a decade to build with hundreds of sailors who take years of training to become efficient. And on the Iranian side, you've got air drones that cost tens of thousands of dollars to produce, ballistic missiles which may run into the millions (and may be stockpiled in the thousands in fortified tunnels), sea drones (jet skis packed with explosives) that may be capable of running autonomously (no radio signal to jam) that may cost thousands to build (who knows what is stock piled).
Simply put, it seems highly problematic to deploy any large naval force into the Gulf without the chance that something catastrophic will happen to your military assets. And one major hit by the Iranians means most merchant vessels are going to stay put (doesn't matter about insurance; you may get your money back but now your vessel is gone and it will take years to decades to replace it).
Again, Trump (and the Israelis) didn't seem to understand why others before them balked at a direct attack on Iran.