Top Pentagon officials on Friday pledged to combat Iran's efforts to turn the Strait of Hormuz into a dangerous choke point for global shipping.

Vessels would be sitting ducks if foreign naval forces attempted to reopen the waterway before a cessation of hostilities, experts say.

The Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical chokepoint for oil shipments, has been effectively closed since the U.S. and Israel began the war on Iran.