“If fired in conjunction with an asymmetrical attack, their threat to sink a carrier in the Gulf is plausible.”
Everyone knows the price of a Carrier.
The nation ceases to exist.
Still, I don’t think they could SINK a US Carrier. Even if they hit it with 1/2 dozen of their missiles, disablement is the worst case.
But they still must pay the existential price.
Oh they will pay a price, but so will the young sailors on those ships.
The US never behaved like a great power after the hostages were taken. This only emboldened Iran. They were responsible for the manufacturing and deploying many of the IEDs that killed and maimed so many Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan. Iran of course supplied the missiles that periodically rake Israel. They purchased those shore to ship stealthy missiles from China despite American “objections” to China. Iran has developed the mindset that Japan had just prior to Pearl Harbor.
Like Japan, it is being economically squeezed by sanctions. Its leaders culturally hate America and its values.
All the incendiary ingredients and historical precedents are aligned. Sincerely hope our naval commanders are much more aware and ready than their predecessors were in 1941.