The other episode was the "tanker wars" during the Iraq-Iran war. Both sides took to attacking freighters in the Strait. The US took the side of Iraq, despite Iraq's Exocet attack on the Stark. However, when Iran attacked US-flagged tankers, the navy counter-attacked and sank a pair of Iranian cruisers.
If that whole era sounds confused and contradictory, it was. But one lesson that came out of that war is relevent today. In the 1980's Reagan made clear that any attempt by Iran to close the Strait would be seen as an act of war and dealt with accordingly. Iraq actually tried to bait Iran into closing the Strait--knowing that the US would come down decisively with both feet--but Iran was smart enough then not to take the bait. Are they as smart now as they were then? We'll see.
I think Iran has a global corner on the overstating both ability and intentions market.
Didn’t Happen.
Barracks was in 1983. The Iranian Navy was not targeted for it and did not lose any ships to the USN until 1987 when we seized the Iran Ajr mining Bahrain Bell. Operation Preying Mantis was in 1988.
The Iranian Navies were not sunk at any time by the USN...