Iran Changes Tactics in Response to US Pressure
TEHRAN — Iran is adopting new tactics to target vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz in an effort to keep oil prices high and influence the US midterm elections, two senior Iranian officials told Reuters.
Tehran has sought to gain control of the Strait of Hormuz since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on 28 February. Iran has restricted traffic through the waterway—which before the war carried around a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade—in an effort to gain leverage over Washington.
Iranian threats and attacks have severely disrupted traffic through the strait and pushed up oil prices, although some oil continues to pass through.
The two officials declined to give details of the new strategy. One source said, however, that Iran began using different offensive tactics against vessels it considers to have breached its restrictions about 10 days ago.
The change has led to an increase in Iranian attacks on targeted vessels. “The strategy includes changes in both the type and intensity of attacks, with one of its aims being to influence the outcome of the vote in the US,” they said.
“The aim is to frustrate efforts by the United States and its allies to bring down global oil prices,” one of the officials said.
According to the official, the decision to adopt the new strategy was taken at the highest levels of Iran’s leadership and fully co-ordinated across the country’s government.
Iran uses surveillance craft
A US military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Iran had significantly changed its tactics.
“After the US claimed to have destroyed most of Iran’s radar capabilities, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) began using uncrewed surveillance craft aboard small vessels to identify potential targets, including US Navy ships,” the official said.
Last week, in an incident not previously reported, the US military detected Iranian surveillance craft operating from a vessel and reporting targets to the IRGC.
“US forces intercepted the vessel, ordered its crew to abandon ship, and then destroyed it. There were no casualties,” the US official said.
The official said that, because Iran was reluctant to risk losing its remaining fast-attack boats, it had been unable to prevent an increase in oil exports through the strait.
The war, which costs about US$3 billion a month to conduct, has become a major issue in the US midterm election campaign ahead of November’s vote. The election will determine which party controls Congress.