If Gibraltar were as narrow as Messina

What changes if the Strait of Gibraltar is only as wide as the Strait of Messina?

Heavy guns at Gibraltar could dominate the entire passage at close range, making wartime transit far more dangerous and difficult to conceal.

The Strait of Messina narrows to about 1.9 miles, compared with roughly eight miles at Gibraltar. A British 9.2-inch coastal gun could reach about 26.7 kilometers, easily covering the narrower channel. Ships that historically passed Gibraltar without exchanging fire would instead cross at nearly point-blank range. Geography would turn the fortress from a powerful observer and barrier into an almost complete artillery gate across the Mediterranean entrance.