[Boot Hill]

HOW WOULD THE WORLD REACT?

A blockage at the Straits of Hormuz could suspend the flow of more than half of the world's oil to the international market place from the six Persian Gulf oil producers. The choke point, the Straits of Hormuz, seems reasonably wide in the map below, but the navigable channel is only a few miles wide. While that's too wide and deep to block with sunken vessels, it could be mined relatively easily. And there are types of mines that are difficult to either detect or clear. Needless to say, even a one month blockage could have catastrophic results on the world's economy.

[norton]

"A blockage at the Straits of Hormuz could suspend the flow of more than half of the world's oil to the international market place from the six Persian Gulf oil producers..."

Has anyone stopped to wonder how those other producers might react to their neighbor's advertising a plan to cut off their source of income?

[Magnum44]

even a one month blockage could have catastrophic results on the world's economy

while high gas prices are not desirable, I have never believed the hype of those who say Iran can have 'catastrophic' impact. There will always be someone else who can step up to fill the oil needs. The incentive to do so will be too high.

Iranian rhetoric is getting high. If they do any of the things they have threatened, be it denial of rights of passage, mining, or open attack, these will be acts of war, and will not be tolerated by the US or our allies. I suspect that FONOPS are already underway.

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

"And there are types of mines that are difficult to either detect or clear."

A few dozen nuclear warheads should sweep the channel clear, no matter how hard the mine is to sweep.

After all, being hard to detect doesn't give one the ability to withstand 1,000+ psi dynamic overpressure. :)