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Is the Strait of Hormuz open or not? Does anyone in the news know or is reporting it at all?

Because for a "closed" waterway, there are a lot of ships passing through it. Right now I am thinking that over 90% of the Western news media, left and right, have no clue what's going on, while pushing a lot of has-beens as experts.

For all we know, Malaysia is a forward base or staging area for the operation. Ships move back and for from operation areas to staging areas and forward bases resupplied, small repairs, crew rotation and so on. All normal stuff. p> Also, when the Navy retired the older Avenger class minesweepers, they replaced them with the LCS and newer mine sweeping technology which appears to be working, as mines are getting cleared. Besides the Independence class ships, there are other Freedom class LCS also in the area, outfitted for mine sweeping, and anti-drone and anti-small boat defense. This is exactly what is needed in the Persian Gulf right now.

Although the Navy isn't making a big deal about it, it looks like the much maligned "Little Crappy Ships" are getting the job done. Just like the equally maligned F-35, and before that, the M-2 Bradley IFV, and before that, the entire service history of the M-16 rifle.

So I'll place my trust in the Navy before all the 20 to 30 year retired experts coming out of the woodwork.