I don't see how that happens. What's to stop Iranians placing more mines in the water or launching drones to attack oil tankers?

Did you read what I wrote? I already laid it out. The US degrades the mines, mine laying vessels, and so on. Then the risk is reduced to a level that's acceptable for commercial shipping. That level isn't zero, despite what people say online. If you want a historical case study, look at the 1980s.

You can drop a sea mine from literal speed boat. Just kick it into a water. Why would you want to use a slow purpose build mine layer for that?

Iran can fire drones from the interior that they store in underground caves until minutes before they fire them. Fires and short raids won’t accomplish shit.

“No one thought Iran would be able to close the straight” -Trump