You write, “But, seen in a longer range perspective, this is a strategic defeat because it has demonstrated to the entire Gulf and to Pakistan that Iran is an always-deadly threat that can never be allowed to rearm to the point of being able to do this again.”

Really? The U.S. and Israeli governments make war on them and then Iran’s government responds by trying to close the strait. You could conclude, as you do, that the U.S. and Israeli governments should continue to make war on Iran. You could also conclude, as I do, that they shouldn’t make war on Iran and then things like this wouldn’t happen.