Why the U.S. Can’t Simply Control the Strait of Hormuz: The Illusion of Naval Dominance
Introduction: A Strait That Controls the World

At first glance, the idea seems almost absurdly simple. The United States possesses the most powerful navy in human history—carrier strike groups, nuclear submarines, stealth aircraft, and precision-guided weapons that can strike anywhere on Earth. Opposing it in the narrow waters of the Strait of Hormuz is Iran, a regional power whose conventional naval forces are comparatively limited.

So why can’t the United States simply “take over” the Strait of Hormuz and ensure the free flow of oil?

The answer lies in a complex intersection of geography, asymmetric warfare, economics, and political reality. What appears to be a straightforward military problem is, in fact, one of the most difficult strategic challenges in modern warfare.