ABNA24 - Trump's so-called "Project Freedom" in the Strait of Hormuz in its first day of implementation ran into the firm obstacle of the Iranian armed forces and failed to produce the expected results. Reports showed that American warships on Monday took limited measures to ensure safe passage of the ships through the key waterway, but faced resolute reaction of the Iranian armed forces. On Tuesday, Trump announced halt of the project.
Western media outlets, including Bloomberg and the Guardian, admitted in their reports that despite Trump's implementation plan, the navigation in the strait has not majorly changed and the major trade sea gate remains under control of Iran.
Iran’s naval forces delivered a powerful response, firing missiles and drones at US frigate, likely stunning and bewildering White House officials. Trump, who has shown extreme caution in ordering US warships to approach Iranian waters, apparently had little concern about a tough retaliation from the IRGC or the regular army when he greenlit escort operations. This despite his repeated boasts about completely destroying Iran’s naval power.
In fact, initial Pentagon assessments and briefings to the White House had led Trump to believe that roughly 40 days of airstrikes had crippled Iran’s navy, leaving it unable to mount an effective counter to a large-scale naval operation. Trump also bragged several times that Iran had lost its ability to mine the Strait of Hormuz.
But with the naval blockade plan failing to bring Tehran to its knees economically, Trump found a closed Strait of Hormuz unbearable. So he ordered a forcible reopening, aiming to eliminate Iran’s powerful leverage. That same leverage, by squeezing the world’s energy choke point, had already forced the US president to halt his offensive and propose a ceasefire, and gave Tehran a strong negotiating card at the first round of Islamabad talks to push its terms on Washington.
Now, however, a key question presents itself: What strategy, tools, and tactics did Iran use to pull off Monday's stunning show in the Strait of Hormuz, once again humiliating American naval power?
Tehran's strategic options
Military power in the Strait of Hormuz has demonstrated that Iran is taking advantage of a advanced and multilayer strategy that enables Tehran to sway regional security equations and can impose costs on the opposite side and prove deterrent if the need arises.
The first power factor is Iran's geographic location that gives the country a considerable advantage in controlling and influencing strategic waterways. Iran's coastal line in the south along the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is around 2240 kilometers, a length enabling the military forces to have proper dispersal and movement. This allows the country to respond to any foreign threat in a fast and multilayer fashion and minimize the enemy’s possibility to focus on a specific point.
Another key geographic advantage is its possession of numerous islands across this waterway. Strategic islands near the Strait of Hormuz serve as natural forward operating bases, hosting radar, missile, and surveillance equipment that give Iran constant, precise oversight of all naval movements. These islands also function as logistics and staging posts for fast-attack craft and other naval units, dramatically boosting operational flexibility.
On top of that, Iran’s rugged coastline and geological features create ideal conditions for defensive operations. Much of the coast has natural inlets and elevated vantage points overlooking the sea, perfect for concealing and positioning equipment. These characteristics make it far harder for an enemy to spot and strike such positions.
Adding to these advantages, the greater water depth along Iran’s side of the Persian Gulf, compared to some southern shores, offers another major advantage. Major shipping lanes run close to Iran’s coast precisely because of this deeper draft, giving Tehran enhanced operational awareness over vessel traffic and, if needed, more effective control over these critical routes.
Iran's military forces' hands full
In naval power, despite the claims by Trump about destroying Iran's power, the country has high capabilities with which it has managed the shipping in the strait very well.
Iran does not rely solely on heavy naval vessels to control the Strait of Hormuz. It smartly leverages nimbler tools like fast-attack craft as well. With their light design, extreme speed, and remarkable maneuverability, these boats can close in on targets in no time and seize the initiative using surprise tactics.
A key feature of these craft is their ability to operate in coordinated swarm tactics. Multiple boats approach a single target from different directions, overwhelming it in a complex, high-pressure situation. This throws enemy defense systems into confusion, rendering them ineffective. Moreover, some of these vessels carry light to medium weaponry, enabling them to carry out swift strike operations.
The widespread dispersal of these boats across the Persian Gulf is another major advantage, making it extremely difficult for any attacking force to detect and track them simultaneously. As a result, these capabilities allow Iran to create an effective, low-cost deterrent threat against hostile forces.
Beyond that, coastal-defense cruise missiles are another crucial tool in Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz. Launched from the southern coastlines along the Persian Gulf, these missiles can strike maritime targets at considerable range with pinpoint accuracy. Their low-altitude flight path and ability to change course in the terminal phase make them hard to detect and intercept, posing a serious risk to any military force operating near the waterway.
Thousands of these missiles are stored in Iran’s “missile cities” scattered along the coast, enabling the rapid preparation of massive salvos. The armed forces can fire high volumes of missiles at naval targets in minimal time, a “fire saturation” approach that overwhelms enemy defense systems and boosts the likelihood of successful hits.
This combination of precision, rapid reaction, and fire volume allows Iran to tip the balance in a confined and highly sensitive maritime theater, making any hostile move prohibitively costly for the adversary.
Meanwhile, advanced drones, particularly loitering munitions, have become a key component of Iran’s security calculus in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. With lower production costs than heavy hardware and the ability to deploy quickly, these drones are highly effective tactical tools. They can approach naval targets at low altitudes and via unpredictable flight paths, striking at the opportune moment.
The drones' flexibility also makes them usable across diverse weather and combat conditions. They can be deployed individually or in swarms, the latter putting even greater strain on enemy defense systems. Together, these features have turned drones into a potent asset for disrupting naval operations and enhancing deterrence.
Laying mines as the last option
Finally, laying mines in the Persian Gulf is one of the strategic options, though for Tehran it is the last option. This approach signals that the Islamic Republic is confident of efficiency of other instruments and prefers to use methods that function very well. However, in case of any shift of dynamics, mine laying will be considered as a serious deterrent factor.
Sea mines can render shipping lanes unsafe and dramatically slow down enemy naval operations. Clearing them is a time-consuming, expensive process requiring specialized equipment. Thus, mining tactics can inflict major operational strain on hostile forces and restrict their freedom of maneuver in this vital waterway.
As a conclusion, the failure of the Project Freedom, the halt of which was announced a day after its announcement by Trump, in the Strait of Hormuz has once again demonstrated that the balance of power in the Persian Gulf is far too complex to be altered by unilateral military action. It has proven that Iran continues to hold a central and effective role in these waters, relying on a diverse array of capabilities, which it stands ready to deploy if necessary to defend its position.
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