Iran is adopting new tactics to intensify attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf region, seeking to keep global oil prices elevated ahead of the November US midterm elections, according to two senior Iranian officials cited by Reuters.
The officials said Tehran had changed the type and frequency of its attacks approximately 10 days ago. The strategy targets vessels that Iran considers to be violating its restrictions on navigation through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
The waterway handled roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade before the conflict began. Restrictions and attacks have sharply reduced maritime traffic, contributing to concerns about energy supplies and rising prices.
One Iranian official said the strategy aimed to prevent the United States and its allies from lowering global oil prices before the elections. The officials added that Iran’s leadership had approved the approach and coordinated its implementation across the country’s governing system.
Meanwhile, a US military official said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had begun using unarmed boats as spotters to identify potential targets after US strikes damaged much of Iran’s radar capabilities.
The official also described an incident in which US forces confronted a suspected Iranian spotter vessel and subsequently destroyed it. No casualties were reported.
According to maritime security data, at least five incidents involving commercial vessels were reported around the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, indicating a renewed escalation in attacks.
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