Iran begins mining Strait of Hormuz as Washington's tanker escort claim collapses

[marble falls]

12. Do you think there will be travel by commercial ships without USN coverage ...

... here, inform your opinion: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_mine

Notice how large a mine needs to be. Note that the lightest mines being used are over 160#s of high explosive, not the sort of thing a guy drags drags into the shallows and hopes a current grabs it. The only thing you need fear is unfounded fear.

The Navy will clear and patrol lanes whether there's an escorting or not. The USN KNOWS how to deal with mines.

A carrier strike group is a type of carrier battle group of the United States Navy. It is an operational formation composed of roughly 7,500 personnel, usually an aircraft carrier, at least one cruiser, a destroyer squadron of at least two destroyers or frigates, and a carrier air wing of 65 to 70 aircraft. A carrier strike group, on occasion, also includes submarines, attached logistics ships and a supply ship. The carrier strike group commander operationally reports to the commander of the numbered fleet, who is operationally responsible for the area of waters in which the carrier strike group is operating. There are three of these. Hormuz will belong to the US Navy. There is NO Naval force on the planet that can keep this from happening. This force has more carriers than the the next two naval powers - Russian and China - together. This represents only about a quarter of the USN's big ship forces.

What is the largest air force on the planet? US Air Force. What's the second largest? the US Navy. The US Navy has 11 active duty nuclear carriers. plus some in reserve and a bunch old fashioned diesel carriers the Marines use as assault carriers. Really, mines mean nothing. If the Navy is patrolling, civilian ships are safe.