From 'Earnest Will' to 'Operation Freedom': How is Trump Replicating Reagan's Strategy in the Strait of Hormuz?

The recent military maneuvers hinted at by US President Donald Trump in the Strait of Hormuz, under the name 'Operation Freedom,' are not a unique precedent in the history of US foreign policy. Those following the conflict's trajectory will find that Washington is repeating a familiar pattern of resorting to military force to ensure the flow of navigation in vital waterways, which brings to mind the strategies of the 1980s.

Analytical readings indicate a striking similarity between 'Operation Freedom' and 'Operation Earnest Will,' launched by former President Ronald Reagan nearly four decades ago. This historical repetition is not limited to the American side but extends to include Iranian behavior, which has maintained its traditional tools in managing naval confrontation through direct threats to oil tankers.

During what was known as the 'Tanker War' in the last century, commercial vessels became direct military targets, with about 200 tankers subjected to various attacks. Tehran at the time relied on tactics of naval mines and speedboats to disrupt oil exports, which are the same tools looming in the current tensions in the region.

In 1987, the American response peaked after Kuwait requested protection for its tankers, with Washington re-registering 11 tankers under its flag and deploying a fleet of 30 warships. This step aimed to impose a new military reality that would prevent the targeting of ships, but it ultimately led to a dangerous and direct field escalation.

Military escalation in that era did not pass without heavy losses, as the United States carried out 'Operation Praying Mantis' in response to one of its frigates being hit by an Iranian mine. That phase witnessed tragic incidents, most notably the downing of an Iranian civilian aircraft in 1988, which resulted in the death of 290 civilians, an incident that still casts a shadow over bilateral relations.

On the other hand, the US military paid human costs due to field errors, such as the accidental targeting of the frigate 'USS Stark' by an Iraqi aircraft, which led to the death of 37 sailors. These historical lessons place the current 'Operation Freedom' before major questions about the possibilities of sliding into an uncalculated comprehensive confrontation.

The current scene in the Strait of Hormuz brings to mind what happened during the Tanker War in the 1980s, when commercial vessels became direct targets.