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Owing to its geography, the Strait of Hormuz is a difficult waterway to secure. A narrow channel congested with many vessels and within easy reach of Iran’s armed forces, even the most formidable naval detachment would struggle to police it.
Convoys rely on tight formations and heavily armed escorts; trying to force such a collection of vessels through a channel less than 40km wide at its narrowest point would frustrate even the best naval commanders.
None of the seven countries Mr Trump says have been approached have so far signalled their willingness to join. On the contrary, some have openly voiced reluctance.
A closer look at the history of naval convoys in the Gulf makes clear why a militarised naval expedition is an unappetising choice. During the so-called Tanker War that accompanied the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War, the US led a UN-backed naval force to protect Kuwaiti shipping. Despite it being the largest US-led naval expeditionary force since the Second World War, the risks of operating in the Gulf became apparent.
In April 1988, the American frigate USS Samuel B Roberts was severely damaged when it struck an Iranian mine. In October the year before, a US-flagged, Kuwaiti-owned tanker called the MV Sea Isle City was hit by an Iranian missile, injuring 18 people including its American captain. Fast forward to today’s conflict and Iran still has the ambition and capability to keep disrupting maritime traffic, despite Tehran’s many naval losses.
There may be room in the future for foreign navies, with a UN mandate and the agreement of regional countries, to help secure global shipping through this vital waterway. Such an endeavour would ultimately still need a ceasefire and a diplomatic process aimed at ending this war. Getting to that point requires the unglamorous, painstaking work of trying to rebuild some kind of trust and an agreed framework within which to de-escalate this situation.
That may appear less dynamic than a naval convoy trying to force its will on the Strait of Hormuz and being the final answer, but seeking a durable peace based on political solutions would arguably be a more powerful strategy and one that is more likely to last.
