cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/45812287
April 11, 2026
U.S. Navy ships sent an unmistakable signal Saturday as they crossed the Strait of Hormuz, challenging Iran’s control over the narrow waterway that will likely determine the outcome of the Middle East war.
The USS Michael Murphy turned on its automatic identification system as it and another destroyer, the USS Frank E. Peterson, transited the strait, breaking the typical protocol of Navy ships sailing with their AIS turned off.
“You just don’t throw AIS on by accident on a Navy ship,” Campbell University professor Salvatore Mercogliano, who specializes in military and maritime history, said on his podcast. “This is purposeful. They wanted to turn this on on the far side of the Strait of Hormuz to demonstrate that they have sailed through.”
What’s awesome is that the US was using its own ships in hopes Iran would attack them so they could headline “US ships attacked during peace negotiations with Iran!”
Like they can form a narrative that they “win” here no matter which way it went down.
Iran doesn’t give a shit if your military does a joy ride through the strait. They are shutting down trade for US and US Ally oil - that’s the point. There is no reason to attack US military ships if it doesn’t offer a strategic advantage to do so.
But if you read the article, Iran did attack the ships (launched a drone at them).
Iran claims it launched a drone at them - they also claim they turned the ships back despite the evidence to the contrary (I.e. two destroyers on the inside of the gulf that weren’t there before).