[The Red Zone]

and opposition is a smokescreen in the eyes of Iran which may not think that their implicit control of the Strait of Hormuz is being eroded

Oh good grief, they can read a map as well as you or I can.

[arthurus]

The misdirection is as to whether we are really so tightly allied, whether we really have political control in the Strait. Lack of political control complicates terribly the necessary military control. Sure the Iranians can read the moves, and probably correctly but they cannot be sure of what is going down. Any introduction of uncertainty is a military move.