All eyes are now focused on what is left of Iran’s navy and the Strait of Hormuz. Even though the U.S. military has sunk or destroyed 60 of Iran’s ships, the threat from Iranian naval vessels remains. There is now reporting that Iran might be taking steps to mine the Strait of Hormuz, and U.S. Central Command has issued a warning to all civilians to avoid ports used by Iranian forces.
The United States has a long history of sinking Iran’s navy. On April 14, 1988, the USS Samuel B. Roberts struck a mine in the Persian Gulf. The ship nearly sank, but was saved by her crew. The mine was identified as Iranian, and four days later, President Ronald Reagan responded by initiating “Operation Praying Mantis,” which destroyed half of Iran’s fleet in a single day.
