Iran is adopting new tactics to target ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. These changes are intended to maintain high oil prices and influence the upcoming midterm elections in the U.S. Congress in November.
Strategy Change and Increased Attacks
According to obtained information, Iranian officials have announced that for about 10 days, they have begun using different aggressive tactics against ships that violate the announced restrictions on passage. This change in approach is associated with an increase in attacks on such ships. One of these officials stated that the aim of these actions is to thwart the efforts of the U.S. and its allies to reduce global oil prices.
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The new tactics include changing the type of attacks as well as the speed and frequency of their execution. According to officials, the decision to adopt this new strategy was made at the highest levels of Iranian leadership and has been coordinated with various sectors of the governing structure.
Increased Maritime Threats and Expansion of Operations
According to data from independent sources, attacks on commercial ships still passing through the Strait of Hormuz have reached the highest level since the beginning of the war in recent days. Reports submitted to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) indicate that at least five incidents have been recorded in the past 48 hours around the Strait of Hormuz, including drone attacks on oil tankers and other commercial vessels.
Two Iranian officials also announced that Tehran intends to extend the geographical scope of its operations beyond the Strait of Hormuz to include the waters of the Sea of Oman and further areas. Investigations indicate that this expansion may have already begun. In recent days, ships in areas outside the Strait of Hormuz, including waters near the coasts of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, have been targeted.
In this context, the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) led by the U.S. Navy has continued to assess the threat level against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz as "severe." This center has stated that threatening activities, including drone flights over ships and targeted surveillance of commercial shipping, continue.
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