But the war's already started, what does Iran have to lose?

It works when it's in range. And it'll only occasionally spray allied ships because the Phalanx doesn't check whats behind the target.

An American destroyer has a large number of area defence interceptor missiles, not just the CIWS. The question is, will the interceptors be completely effective if Iran is able to launch a saturation attack on them, and will they have enough interceptors left by the time they get out of the shooting gallery. Personally, I think even they aren't stupid enough to try it, but I hope I'm proven wrong.

Phalanx is self defense only. The weapons used to protect nearby ships are ESSM and SM-2 missiles. Which should to work fine to intercept cheap drone, artillery and ballistic missiles. (Tho very expressive to intercept artillery with missiles)

The navy has used those systems recently to defend ships during the Houti crisis in the red sea.

Well see there is the whole issue of Missile Trucks.

Where are they? How many are there? Where are they headed? Which ones are decoys? Where will they deploy to fire?

That strategy failed miserably against the Houthis.

All of it in a matter of a week or two, easily.

Not with Patel and Kegsbreath chugging it.

There is nothing to stop this from escalating, I don't think abrupt, nonsensical nuclear war is off the table for the US or Israel and I don't think the centrists of the world are ready for that (which terrifyingly, is really one of the few "gotchas" Trump and Netanyahu have left to flip the script, all the other non-existent international norms people believed in are already destroyed, nuclear weapons are the only one left.).

We have never been closer to nuclear war in my lifetime and it is almost entirely the fault of the US and Israel.

Let me ask you a question, if every accusation is an admission, what is Trump loudly admitting he is about to do?

This conflict leads directly to the use of "tactical" nuclear weapons because this is the first bullshit war in a long time in US history where the existentiality necessity of using nuclear weapons can be invoked without the immediate fear of nuclear retaliation as a consequence, at least according to how the leadership of the US and Israel see it.

There are not many off ramps left here...

Iran could easily end up doing that if things keep escalating, but I think what the US and Israel do will be far more catastrophic for everybody.

Have we figured out yet how our oil got over there in the first place?

I mean, no need to lie; Iran is absolutely going to shoot at any US navy ships in their backyard.

Can't do: Jesus was picked up by ICE and deported.

Jesus, take the joy stick!

The US is launching all the missiles and bombs at them. How do you escalate that? Nukes?

I'm getting the feeling he saw Roosevelt was elected for a third term during WWII and one of his yes men said he could totally replicate that third term...given the right circumstances 

Yeah. Iran can just shoot at anything passing by with minimal risk. The only way to stop them would be to land troops as push them out, but even then you would have to push them back quite a bit to stop missiles from hitting the straight. And of course, landing troops is going to be bloody, very very bloody. Can the US afford it?

But don't worry, all those ships sunk by the Iranians can just be replaced by the shiny new Trump class battleships.

I am surprised they didnt have underwater mines to drop in on day 1.

Because they're typically out of range of Iranian missiles, this would change that.

But it's a very reasonable fee! And a beautiful plan. The most beautiful, some people say.

Remember that if you don't pay I'll increase the tariffs on your no good, very bad countries that are acting un-americanly!

Sal's What's going on with Shipping? Channel did a video that adds to your points, while covering other things that happened in between too.

We don't have the destroyers to so this, let alone the stocks to keep them full. Last time we tried something similar with the Houthi when we stood off and bring them down along the Red Sea we ran out.

The best we might be able to do is the 5 or so US flagged vessels. Apparently France is going to do the same for their vessels. All the rest of them are probably just going to wait for the War insurance to get sorted and then start running it again (like some of them are apparently).

Iran used a floating drone to inflict sinkable (big hole in the hull at sea level) damage to an oil tanker today.