Ukraine’s drone killers are much cheaper than many US interceptors, and the US and Gulf countries are running out of such interceptors, so want these cheaper Ukranian drone killers to defend against Iranian drones.
Militarily opening the Strait of Hormuz will be incredibly hard. Iran only has to get through once, the US needs to stop every weapon. It will require the great risk of putting a lot of forces close to Iran.
Iran was prepared for the US to dominate with “overwhelming” airpower. Iran saw the US take out Saddam’s centralized command with airpower and decided to focus on missiles, drones, and decentralization. Taking out the snake’s head is less effective when there are many snakes with their own weapons, each able to lash out. Iran knew it couldn’t go toe to toe with the US in the skies, so scattered and hid their weapons. Iran knows that the US would not like a long war, so they planned for a long war where a determined Iran can outlast a US that grows weary with the costs of war.
Protecting shipping would require pulling assets away from offense. Destroying 95% of Iranian weaponry does not matter if they can still threaten ships. Iranian oil ships are still going through the Strait. The US isn’t stopping Iranian oil ships.
The Iran war has been great for Russia so far. It’s oil is worth more thanks to the war. Some sanctions on its oil have been lifted by Trump as he tries to lower gas prices. The many munitions used by the US in the war mean there are fewer for the Europeans to buy for Ukraine. It allows Russia and China to go around the world saying how evil the US is, unjustly attacking a global south country.
The mission of keeping the Strait of Hormuz safe from Iranian attacks on civilian ships is a burdensome and dangerous mission. The US needs to focus on protecting its carriers until the Iranian threat is further diminished.
Despite Iran’s military and leadership being battered badly, Iran is likely willing to outlast the US. Many Iranians, even one’s who do not like the regime, may see the US and Israel as trying to destroy Iran, and may support fighting and not giving in to Trump’s demands. Iran has aggressive goals of its own–to convince the gulf states that the US isn’t there to protect them, but to act aggressively toward Iran, and to reject US protection in the future.
Iran’s regime is fighting for its life. The US is fighting for potential security benefits. The US is likely to give up first even if its military is winning the war. Iran will likely get nukes now, because of this attack.
Iran is predictably limiting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz as a result of Trump’s attack on Iran, sending oil prices higher. Removing the Jones Act won’t move the needle while the war drives oil prices higher.