> Transiting by themselves is a lot different than escorting merchant vessels

The second crossing was conformed to be such an escort mission. They shot down everything Iran threw at them, but the cost assymetry still holds.

> All of the destroyers and frigates from all the world's navies combined couldn't sustain protecting the massive number of merchant vessels wishing to transit the Strait of Hormuz on a daily basis.

My point exactly: the argument that the "US Navy isn't as large as it used to be" is moot