Originally posted by randomname
impossible for iran to close the straight of hormuz realistically?
scuttling barges, deploying thousands of naval mines, patrolling with battleships and shooting any ship that tries to go thru. launching
anti-ship missiles, air strikes, dumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of crude, lighting it on fire, aa batteries around the coast
launching 120mm shells, cruise missiles, subs etc.
basically all out war.
Well... because...
Scuttling barges would have no effect whatsoever.
The US has some of the best mine sweeping ships in the world.
Iran has no "battleships", the best warships they do have are mostly decades old imports, the missiles they hold are fewer and inferior.
Iran can't shoot any ship that get's through, their ASMs are vastly inferior.
The US Navy's AAW equipment is a lot better than Iran's airborne ASW missiles, not to mention they would be intercepted anyways even if they somehow
got within range.
They could dump oil into the gulf if they wanted, it wouldn't have any effect other than environmental effects and effects on their own economy and
foreign relations.
"AA Guns" don't really pose a threat to modern aircraft.
Iran doesn't have any effective cruise missiles that any US Naval group couldn't just shoot down with interceptors easily.
Iran's subs are loud, short ranged and would be detected and destroyed while they were sitting still in the water.
This is the 21st century, not world war 2. It is not realistic.