With Iran's navy, air power, and surveillance crippled, America was able to use land-based forces to shepherd civilian shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The United States quietly escorted civilian ships through the Strait of Hormuz:
It emerged this month that the US has begun guiding ships through Hormuz with their signals off, by a route that hugs the Omani coast, helping to boost oil and cargo flows.
The Navy wasn't needed and was able to act as a hammer from the distance in case the Iranians got too active. And the Marine threat kept the Iranians distracted, too, I bet.
That mission is why we had command and combat elements of the 82nd Airborne Division there. And why we lost an Apache helicopter when it was hit by an Iranian UAV.
The Strait wasn't fully open. But it helped to cushion the effect of Iran's effort to close the strait.
NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.
NOTE: You may also like to read my posts on Substack, at The Dignified Rant: Evolved. Go ahead and subscribe to it. It's the right thing to do!
NOTE: Photograph from the article.
