War on the Rocks Reopening the Strait of Hormuz & Saving Downed Pilots
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Apr 6, 2026 John "Fozzie" Miller, retired U.S. Navy vice admiral with deep Middle East and maritime ops experience, and Jamie Foggo, retired U.S. Navy admiral and maritime strategist, dissect reopening the Strait of Hormuz. They discuss mines, drones, missiles, and how mine-countermeasure tech and escorts work. They debate raids on Kharg Island, whether air power can keep the strait open, and how downed-pilot recoveries unfold.
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Hormuz Is Legally An International Strait
- The Strait of Hormuz is an international strait governed by a UN treaty, so Iran's tolls and selective passage violate established law.
- Jamie Foggo notes this matters to protect freedom of navigation across all major global straits, not just the Gulf.
Multiple Asymmetric Threats Can Close Hormuz
- Iran can close the strait using many asymmetric tools: cruise missiles, Shahed drones, fast attack boats with explosively formed projectiles, and mines.
- John W ‘Fozzie’ Miller emphasizes the breadth of threats makes merchant transit and insurance assurances very difficult.
Open A Route Not An Entire Sea
- Clear a safe transit by mapping and creating a single assured route rather than removing every mine in an area.
- John W ‘Fozzie’ Miller describes using LCS-launched uncrewed vehicles, helicopters, and Mark 18 mine robots to find and neutralize mines autonomously.