The major question: Does the US Navy have the necessary technology and tactics to force open the Strait, keep it open and control it? Its not like Admiral Farragaut getting his fleet beyon the forts guarding New Orleans.
the U.S. Navy has a slew of different UUVs that launch from just about any ship or sub we have all of them can host anti mine sonar and demo charges or water jets for soft kills. There is likely a SSGN in theatre that has the Seahorse UUV in action. We did surface the OHIO in the Med as a sign we have SOCOM boats in theatre.
We keep one of these in the Indian Ocean for sure and by now it could be under the straight and no one would know it. Using it’s UUVs and UDT divers covertly.
Any 688I , Virginia class or Seawolf can launch these now. The Navy went public for the first time but has been doing this for a while on the down low. UUVs not just out the tubs but back in after they are done.
https://www.twz.com/navy-submarine-just-tested-a-torpedo-tube-recovered-drone
Here again all covert and under the straight no one would know it and we wouldn’t necessarily advertise it until done. Plus the fact that two Burkes just paraded through the straight tells us we cleared a channel for them somehow well the above means is that somehow. The Burkes was a political message.
The Navy also has 16 MCM teams of UDT guys who can covertly work off any ship that has a standard hoist on it to raise and lower their UUVs the Barracuda being the official UUV of record there are more types being used Raytheon got their pay out not just Lockheed.