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US Escorted Ships Through Strait of Hormuz in 1980s
The United States protected Kuwaiti oil tankers from Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz during the 1980s Tanker War. Analysts suggest similar escorts could be considered now amid ongoing conflicts, though challenges exist due to evolved military tactics. The strait handles 20% of global traded oil and natural gas in peacetime.
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Naval mines and speedboat attacks targeted vessels in the Persian Gulf at that time. U.S. warships escorted Kuwaiti tankers reflagged as American to maintain oil flow.
Iraq attacked Iranian oil infrastructure, prompting Iran to target regional ships, including with mines. The U.S., supporting Iraq with intelligence and aid to Saddam Hussein, launched Operation Earnest Will in 1987. This involved escorting tankers through the strait.
Incidents included an Iraqi missile strike on the USS Stark, killing 37 sailors, and an Iranian mine damaging the USS Samuel B. Roberts, wounding 10. The U.S. also shot down Iran Air flight 655, killing 290 people, mistaking it for a fighter jet.
Iran seized two cargo ships this week using small boats operated by the Revolutionary Guard. Video showed Guard forces firing on and boarding the vessels. The Guard has used small vessels equipped with machine guns and rocket launchers to shadow U.S. ships in the strait for years. Analysts state that securing the waterway is more difficult now due to advancements in asymmetrical warfare.
“I think even if you compare it with the ‘Tanker war,’ I think just in terms of the way military technology has evolved, especially on that asymmetrical side, it’s much more difficult to secure a waterway now than it was then.”
European countries have declined to join escort missions until the current war ends, despite pressure from Trump. The U.S. Navy has provided limited escorts in the Red Sea against Houthi attacks, facing intense combat.
